Herald of the Apocalypse
by Crosis Laurekal
Summary: As the day of his ascension draws near, Trigon sets a plan in motion to force his daughter's cooperation.  Slade is a useful servant, but Trigon now has his sights set on another.  Will he succeed, or can one mortal hope to defy the ruler of hell?
1. Calm before the Storm

Considering my preference for the BBXRae pairing, I suppose it was inevitable that such a story would come to be. This is a slightly different take on Season 4, beginning with the Birthmark episode.

Chapter 1- Calm before the Storm

_And what rough beast, its hour come at last,_

_Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?_

_William Butler Yeats- The Second Coming_

* * *

"I just want to get home before tomorrow comes." Beast Boy watched in confusion as Raven turned and flew back in the direction of the tower. Something had been different about her tonight. Sure, she sounded exactly the same, and her behavior might not have changed in the least, but it was subtler than that. He could see it in her body language, and even her scent had changed.

Raven was scared.

He scratched the back of his head, his eyes following her shrinking form. "What's so special about tomorrow?" His teammates merely shrugged, each of them watching Raven vanish from sight. They were unaware of the events taking place far below their feet.

The floor of an underground cavern began to tremble. The walls shook, stone cracked, and the cave seemed ready to fall in upon itself. Stalactites crashed around the lone figure in the room's center, standing tall and firm against the quake. The rock began to boil upwards, breaking apart as something fought its way to the surface. A gloved hand finally punched free, and hellish light shone up as the one-eyed man pushed himself free of the ground.

Slade examined his surroundings, giving Terra's statue a casual glance. Revenge could wait; he had a message to deliver.

"The day… has begun."

Beast Boy drew in a sharp breath as he clutched at his gut. His knees buckled, almost causing him to fall onto the deck of the oil rig. It felt as though someone had just dumped a bucket of ice into his stomach. He ground his teeth together as every hair on his body stood on end. His gaze whipped from side to side, and without a word to the others, he ran for the edge of the rig, diving over the side. He morphed into a crow mid fall then flapped towards the tower as fast as he could manage.

Alighting onto the roof, he resumed his human form and hurtled down the stairs, nearly trampling over Raven in his haste. Her gaze turned to meet him as he passed, and if each of them had not been preoccupied with their own thoughts, they might have noticed the identical expressions of fear on the other's face. The moment passed in an instant, and they each vanished into their rooms.

* * *

Something was coming

Beast Boy sat huddled in the corner of his room, arms wrapped around himself as he rocked back and forth. His eyes would occasionally dart between the window and the door as though he expected something to burst through at any moment. He tried to tell himself that there was nothing wrong, that he was just imagining things.

"Just monsters under the bed, that's all. Just letting my imagination-"

A soft creaking sound came from the hallway as someone approached his room, and the boy's ears flattened to the sides of his head. A low growl began to build in his throat, the desperate warning of an animal backed into a trap. The footsteps paused at his door, and low rapping of knuckles sounded off the metal. His muscles tensed, every fiber of his body preparing to fight his way to safety.

"Beast Boy, are you in there? You had us worried with how quickly you took off earlier. Is something wrong?" His ears perked up at the sound of Robin's voice.

'It's just Robin, nothing to be afraid of, just go open the door.' He rose to his feet slowly, feeling as though his entire body was resisting the motion. Forcing a smile to his face, he slid the door open and met his leader's concerned gaze.

"Heya Rob! Sorry about ditching everyone, just felt sick all of a sudden. A little too much tofu before saving the day, gives you a bit of indigestion." He laughed nervously, his eyes sweeping down the hallway.

Robin frowned. "Come on Beast Boy, we've been friends for more than enough time for me to know when you're lying. I can't help if you won't tell me what's really bothering you."

Beast Boy sighed and leaned wearily against the doorframe. "I know dude, but really, I just don't feel well at all right now. I'm sure it'll clear up sooner or later."

"If that's all the problem is, then alright. It can't be good for you to be cooped up in your room though. Would you like to join us down in the main room? I'm sure Cy wouldn't mind fixing you some soup to calm down your stomach." Robin paused as Beast Boy stiffened, eyes widening in fear.

'The main room? But it's so wide open, and all those windows! No way, it's not safe, too exposed, can't do it.' He shook his head quickly and stepped back into his room.

"No thanks Rob I'm sure I just need to sleep it off night," he said quickly before shutting the door in the other boy's face. Leaping away from the entrance, he headed for another corner, ignoring Robin's voice on the other side.

He sighed in relief as his back met the wall. Safe again. Nothing could catch him from behind now. He listened as Robin's knocking ended and the Boy Wonder's footsteps faded into the distance. He drew in another gulp of air as his heart rate slowly began to fall. Hours seemed to tick by, and the feeling only increased.

* * *

Something was coming.

He could feel that disaster was looming on the horizon. One of the side effects to possessing the DNA of animals was the inclusion of their sixth sense. He could feel when an earthquake was about to strike, or if a damaged building was on the verge of collapse. Whenever unseen danger was imminent, it was as if the animals inside him were calling out in his mind.

And tonight, they were screaming.

He pushed himself back further as the chill settled into an ache in his chest. Something bad was going to happen today, and all of his instincts were telling him to escape, to leap straight through the window and fly or swim as hard and fast as possible until Jump City was far behind him.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus through the cacophony of sounds. What was going to happen? Why was today so important?

'Wait… didn't Raven say she didn't want to be outside at midnight? And she's been acting nervous all week. Does she know something about this?' The question seemed to bring clarity to his mind, and the noises subsided. Beast Boy rose to his feet and headed out the door. He was still terrified, but now he was going to do something about it.

Emerging into the hallway, he cast a hesitant glance behind him before shifting into an owl and gliding into the evidence room. It was early morning, and the tower was quiet and still. His neck swiveled around, his night vision examining every inch of the area. Satisfied that he was truly alone, he morphed back and took a seat at the computer.

The screen flickered to life, and Beast Boy rapidly began tapping keys, looking for any information that might explain what he was feeling.

"That's strange. Seismic readings are all normal, weather reports say it's supposed to be a beautiful day, magnetic frequencies are stable, and even the police band is quiet." He leaned back in the chair, trying to think if there were any possibilities that he had missed. Nothing came to mind.

"There's gotta be something, Raven wouldn't make this big a deal out of it otherwise." His head shot up as an idea began to form in his head. If Raven seemed to be the only one who knew about this, maybe her file contained some information! Working quickly, he initiated a search through the restricted section of the mainframe. It was stocked with files concerning their personal information. It had taken years of coaxing on his part, but Robin had wanted to gather as much information on their team as possible. It contained tons of material: notes on their powers and origins, even specific physical or emotional weaknesses were listed. Beast Boy was certain that this particular date held some kind of significance to Raven, and he was going to find out what it was.

A tone sounded as the search was completed, and his eyes scanned the page that had opened. He blinked in confusion and reread the sentence. This couldn't be right. This day had come and gone a few times since the Titans had formed, and nothing bad had happened before.

Something didn't add up. It was the correct date alright, but why would Raven be so upset about her birthday? And why did he feel like the world was about to come to an end?

* * *

Not an extremely action-packed first chapter, but I wanted to begin with the same type of fearful buildup shown in the episode. With how much time Raven spent in her room watching the clock, I wondered what everyone else was doing prior to setting up the party.

More to come, read and enjoy!


	2. Praying for Dawn

Alright, second installment is good and done. Thanks to FelynxTiger and Arroiuqlu Schiffer for the initial reviews.

Chapter 2- Praying for Dawn

_But all the clocks in the city_

_Began to whirr and chime:_

"_O let not Time deceive you,_

_You cannot conquer Time."_

_W.H. Auden- As I walked out one evening_

* * *

He was still looking at the screen when the lights snapped on, stinging his eyes. He threw his hands over his face, wincing until his vision had attuned itself to the sudden brightness.

"Well, I'll be, someone was snooping around in here after all." He peered through the cracks in his fingers to see everyone but Raven standing at the door.

Starfire let out a yawn. "Please friend, why are you lurking about at such an early hour? When the room's alarm sounded, we believed at intruder may have been present."

Beast Boy tried to stammer out an answer, unwilling to provide an excuse or explanation for his activities. He could feel Robin's stare boring into him, and the last thing he wanted was to face another lecture.

Not waiting for a response, Cyborg came up next to him and examined the computer. His human eye widened as the information sank in.

"Raven's birthday is today? Man, I don't think she's ever mentioned it. I mean, I know we haven't celebrated it before-" His face broke into a grin.

"But no time like the present! It's her first party with us, so it's gotta be good! And that means extra cake frosting!"

"Um, Cy? I really don't think that's a good idea." Robin lifted his hand to calm the excitable teen before turning his gaze back to Beast Boy. "You and Raven have both been acting strange since last night. I don't know the reason, but it can't be a coincidence. Until either she speaks up or you fess up, I don't think any big events like this should be taking place."

Beast Boy gulped. Robin didn't seem in the mood to back down. His only chance? Safety in numbers! "What do you think Star? Should we play it safe and not give Raven the party of a lifetime? Or should we be real friends and show her how much we care?"

Robin's eyes widened and he quickly waved his hands to get everyone's attention. Things were stressful enough as it was, he did NOT want Starfire following him around all night accusing him of being heartless. "No, no! It's alright, we can have the party!"

Starfire lifted into the air, her eyes bright with anticipation. "Then we must begin the preparations for her celebration! There is much to do; we will require sugary confections, amusing games, and wondrous gifts!" She let out a gasp, a hand covering her mouth. "Oh my, I had almost forgotten! We must also prepare the Crown of Meat!"

Linking her arm with Cyborg's, the two dashed out of the room while Robin turned back to Beast Boy, his face breaking into a frown.

"Just so you know, I'm still saying this party is a very bad idea."

Beast Boy sighed as Robin exited the room. 'You're not the only one dude.'

* * *

His ears perked up as the sound of footsteps came from the hall. He quickly motioned the others into hiding before dimming the lights. This was it. After this he'd know one way or the other if Raven's birthday was the cause for their mutual dread. The doors slid open as she stepped into the room, her eyes wary. A moment passed, and then the room brightened as a banner and confetti rained down from the ceiling. The four hidden Titans leapt from their hiding spots.

"SURPRISE!" Raven shrieked in alarm before vanishing into the floor.

"Told you a surprise party was a bad idea." Beast Boy drooped under Robin's glare. He tried to think of a response when a sudden chill swept across his back. Something was coming up from behind him. He knew it was Raven, but it still took every ounce of control not to spin around and defend himself. He settled instead for stumbling towards the others.

"How did you know it was my birthday?" The sound of her words broke through the panic settling into his mind, and he took note of her voice. It was angry and laced with irritation, but there seemed to be a small bit of curiosity underneath the scorn, and her tone held no traces of fear.

Beast Boy felt his spirits lighten. "Remember last night? About how you made that big deal about tomorrow? Well, we started wondering what tomorrow was, so we did some snooping-" He paused as he felt three accusing stares drill into his back. "Ok, I did some snooping. And I sorta found a restricted file in the off-limits area of the Titan's computer. It sorta had your birthday on it."

"And we have been preparing your celebration ever since," Starfire declared.

"We put up tons of decorations!" Beast Boy said as he stepped to Raven's side, hoping that she'd allow him to remain close enough. Cyborg and Starfire continued speaking, and he used the distraction to lean in close and take a quick sniff of Raven's scent. His breath hitched as he caught the aroma of fear that was quickly gaining strength. This was not good.

Raven pulled away and made for the door. His friends continued their attempts to make her stay, but he was too preoccupied to notice. Her distress was building, but the fear was rapidly turning into anger. She was becoming less focused on her birthday and more on their persistence. If this kept up, he wouldn't be able to tell for sure. He had to get her attention back on track.

"Come on Raven, I know you hate fun, but it's your birthday. It's special." He lifted his hands to gently touch her back. "You can't let this day end without-"

That did it. Raven's body tensed for movement, and he could smell fear and desperation radiating from her. He knew what was about to happen. She'd reached her threshold for stress, and like any animal, she would choose to either confront them or retreat. Fight or flight.

"NO!" Raven's powers exploded across the room, tearing the decorations to shreds. As the Titans looked on in shock, she stormed through the doors without a word.

Beast Boy sighed as Robin followed her out of the room. It was her birthday after all. In that case, he knew what he had to do. Changing into a mosquito, he waited until the doors opened before flying out into the hall.

* * *

"Raven, what's wrong?"

She clenched her fists as Robin's voice came from behind her. She didn't want to talk about this; she didn't even want to think about it! "I just don't like parties."

"It's more than that, I can tell. We have a bond, remember? You've been inside my mind. Let me inside yours."

She whipped her head around to face him. "Robin, you know me better than anyone. You should know there are places in my mind where you can't go." She paused as she remembered Beast Boy and Cyborg stuck in Nevermore, fighting to save her from Rage. "Where no one SHOULD ever go," she corrected.

Robin persisted. "I'm willing to try, if you-"

"You can't!" She snapped.

Robin was getting frustrated. First Beast Boy, and now Raven! What were they keeping from him? "Tell me what's going on."

Raven turned away. "Just trust me. If you knew anything about the day of my birth… you'd know there's nothing to celebrate." She left without waiting for a response. She was sick of talking. All she wanted was to sit in her room and wait out the next few hours.

Coming up to her door, she hastily punched in the code and stepped inside. And what she saw almost made her scream. Beast Boy was sitting cross-legged on her bed, as if he had been waiting for some time.

"Beast Boy, get out," she snarled. "I am in no mood for your nonsense, and-"

"You don't have to push me away or try to hide it Raven, I already know." The soft tone of his voice stopped her in her tracks. He looked up, and she could see the anxiety in his face. "Something's going to happen. You can sense it, and so can I."

She felt as though all her strength had been drained away, and she leaned back heavily against the wall. "I didn't want you to find out about this. I didn't want any of you to know."

He had already crossed the room, and was now resting his hand on her shoulder. "Raven, I've felt it since last night. Right after you left I could tell that something was coming. That feeling's only gotten stronger since then. I'm scared, Raven."

She heard the truth in his words, and she looked up into his eyes.

"Please, just tell me what's going to happen."

Should she? Her identity had been kept a secret for so long, could she just reveal it now? She weighed her options. Beast Boy understood her situation, he could feel it as clearly as she. But would it really help to explain, or was it best to be unaware of a danger's true nature? She decided the last thing she wanted was to cause him greater fear.

"I… I don't know, Beast Boy. I've spent this entire day just waiting, praying that nothing will happen. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Although her answer didn't seem to give him any relief, Beast Boy nodded and turned towards the door. Before she realized what she was doing, Raven had leaned forwards to grasp his arm. She felt her face reddening as he looked back in confusion.

"You don't have to leave, you know. We're both nervous, and I doubt either of us will be getting much rest tonight. We might as well keep one another company." She tried to keep the tremor out of her voice, but there was no way she was giving up this opportunity. The last thing she wanted tonight was to be alone.

Beast Boy's mouth dropped open, and she could see his brain trying to process the idea that she actually wanted him to stay with her. She waited for his response, trying to keep her irritation from getting the best of her. He had better accept, and quickly. The last thing she was going to do was beg!

Beast Boy struggled to find something to say before simply closing his mouth and nodding. He tried to keep his breathing even as Raven led him back towards her bed. This wouldn't be so bad, would it? Having someone else with him reduced the chances of an attack, and Raven's room was always dark, so he'd have a better chance of being unseen.

'Not to mention getting to spend the night with a beautiful lady,' he thought with a suppressed grin.

Raven released his hand as she climbed up onto the bed. Sitting down at the headboard, she took another glance at the time. Nearly 7:15.

A loud noise pulled her attention away from the clock. She looked around, expecting Beast Boy to be sitting at the foot of her bed, but he was nowhere in sight. Panic welled up in her chest, and she scrambled to her feet to see if he had left her after all. She froze in place as the sound came again, this time from the floor beside her bed.

Dropping to her knees, she hesitantly crawled to the side of the mattress, her head inching forwards to peer over the side. She let out a comforted sigh when she saw the green Siberian Tiger curled up on the floor, its eyes never moving from the door.

Raven lay down on her stomach, one arm dangling over the bed to rub the tiger's back.

"Thank you Beast Boy," she murmured before closing her eyes. The large body rumbled underneath her hand, and a tiny smile graced her lips as she fell into a peaceful sleep listening to the massive animal purr.

* * *

Raven was pulled out of sleep by a strange burning in her throat, as if she had been breathing in smoke. She coughed harshly, trying to expel the acrid air from her lungs. She opened her eyes, and they were filled with the red glare of flames. She rose up quickly, her eyes taking in the fires burning uncontrollably around her. She backpedaled towards the wall, watching as the flames spread up her walls and across the floor, bathing the room in an eerie glow.

She was about to call for Beast Boy when she heard the voice.

"WHAT YOU HAVE CONCEALED, YOU WILL BECOME."

She felt her heart racing as the voice of her father echoed throughout the room. She crawled frantically towards the side of the bed, her arm reaching down to shake Beast Boy awake. But instead of coarse fur and muscle, her hand reached down to touch a dry, rough material. She looked over the side and choked back a cry.

Beast Boy still lay on the floor, but the green tiger showed no signs of life. His skin had been burnt to a crisp, and the blackened tissue beneath her hand was already cracking and falling away. As she watched, the skin began to bubble and melt, running off the body in a molten stream. The melted flesh flowed towards the wall before running up the side, bursting into flames and twisting into a pattern. Before her eyes, what had once been Beast Boy's flesh burned brightly as a twisted 'S.'

The Mark of Scath

"YOU HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE."

The tiger's skeleton was slowly rising out of the pile of ashes, its bones scorched black by the flames. The jaws fells open, and a torrent of steaming blood poured from its mouth. The empty sockets in its head turned towards her, and she realized in fear that it was the one speaking. Her father's voice was coming from Beast Boy's corpse!

"YOUR DESTINY WILL BE FULFILLED."

The smoking bones began climbing onto her bed, blood and flakes of skin continuing to fall from its body.

The sight of the thing crawling towards her seemed to break her paralysis, and she clenched her eyes shut and screamed. She could feel movement on her bed, could feel two limbs encircling her body. This was it.

"Raven, it's ok! I'm here!" Beast Boy's voice rang in her ears, and she hesitantly opened her eyes. Her room was clean and dark, with no sign of the blaze she had seen. She looked over to Beast Boy. His skin was the same bright color as always. She lifted her hands out of his embrace and ran a finger across his chin. Alive. Safe. Everything was alright. Letting out a relieved sob, she collapsed into his arms.

Beast Boy looked down in concern as Raven leaned against him. Everything had seemed to be fine, she had been asleep for almost two hours when she started to struggle in her sleep. For a second he had thought it was just a nightmare, but the sheer terror he had seen on her face had said otherwise.

He pulled her closer, guiding her head to rest on his shoulder. "It's alright, nothing's going to hurt you," he spoke slowly and gently, as though reassuring a timid animal. "I'm here for you."

He smiled as her breathing slowed. If he had anything to say about it, everything would be ok. A sudden pounding on the door drew their attention.

"I heard you scream!"

They watched as Robin stumbled into the room, panting for breath. His eyes widened at the sight of them, but before he could speak the room was bathed in a red light.

Raven pulled herself out of Beast Boy's arms and headed for the door, giving Robin a brief glare for interrupting the moment.

"Trouble."

* * *

Can't really think of anything witty or insightful to say down here, so enjoy the chapter, read and review, and tune in for the next installment!


	3. An Old Friend Returns

Alright, next chapter is good to go. Hope everyone enjoys it.

Chapter 3- An Old Friend Returns

_Woe to you, oh earth and sea_

_for the devil sends the beast with wrath_

_because he knows the time is short_

_Iron Maiden- Number of the Beast_

* * *

Without waiting for Beast Boy and Raven to follow, Robin turned and dashed into the hallway. Arriving at the common room, he stepped up to where Starfire was examining the alarm report.

He studied the blinking map for a few moments before responding. "What's the situation?"

"I am unsure. The information provided is most unhelpful, as it merey states that there has been a break-in and provides the location."

Robin scowled, quickly running through a mental list of any villains that would likely be involved. He looked through the crime report again when something caught his eye.

"This doesn't make sense," he muttered as he reread the line. According to this, the break-in had occurred nearly ten minutes ago, but there had been no further activity. If the intruder hadn't stolen anything, what were they doing in there?

He looked over his shoulder to see the rest of the team entering the room. "Looks like we have some mystery maniac at one of the steel plants over in the industrial section. They've been in there for quite awhile, so we have to move fast before they escape. Titans, GO!"

As the team split up to their preferred modes of transportation, Raven paused on her way to the roof. Looking back, she saw that Beast Boy was still standing beside the couch, wringing his hands and looking nervously out the windows. She moved behind him and gently placed a hand on his back, unsurprised to see him leap into the air and spin around to face her.

"Oh uhh, heya! Sorry about that, just kinda startled me is all." He chuckled and gave her the widest grin he could manage.

Raven frowned. Usually when Beast Boy gave her a smile that fake, he was trying to hide something. Quickly scanning his emotions, she was shocked at the sheer amount of fright he was exuding. If it was possible, he was even more shaken than she was.

"Are you alright? We have to go." She tried to sound reassuring, but at the mention of leaving his eyes widened and he started backing away.

"I can't, Rae. It's too exposed outside, too risky. Whatever's gonna happen, I know it'll be once we go check this place. I'm sure of it!"

She ignored the nickname this once. He was starting to panic. She had to calm him down, and fast. Reaching out, she placed her hands on his cheeks and held his face still.

"I know it too, Beast Boy. An unknown, unexplained crime on this of all nights? It's not a coincidence, and we both understand that. But we'll need you to help us; I'll need you. We both know what's coming, so we'll look after one another, alright? You watch out for me, I'll do the same for you."

A small bit of confidence seemed to return to him, and Raven released his face and grasped one of his hands. She led him up the stairs, trying to instill the same assurance in her own mind. As they came to the edge of the roof, she gave his hand a final squeeze before lifting into the air, a green albatross flapping up beside her.

* * *

Beast Boy tried to keep himself steady as he glided alongside Raven. He tried to think of something, of anything to keep his mind off of the rising terror in his stomach. His thoughts drifted to how nice it had felt holding Raven after her nightmare. He thought of how nice she smelled, of the way her body and his seemed to fit perfectly when they hugged, of how great it would be to hug her again, of-

His reverie was cut short as their target came into view. The building seemed normal enough on the outside, with only a torn hole in the fence to suggest criminal activity. Despite this, the heightened tension in his body told him that this was it. Whatever he was feeling, it was coming from inside.

The team gathered at the entrance before cautiously moving inside. He stayed back from the main group, hoping that nobody would see through his paper-thin smile and trembling voice. His eyes were moving nonstop, hopelessly trying to see in all directions.

'This place is huge! There could be hundreds of things just lying in wait! Thousands! Millions!'

"So," Cyborg asked from ahead. "Who's the bad guy Du Jour?" His voice was confident, anticipating nothing more than their usual routine. "Gizmo? Mad Mod? Killer Moth?"

'Gotta get out of here. Gotta hurry, before it's too late. Just turn around and-'

He could hear Raven's footsteps from behind him. He tried to gain control of his nerves. He couldn't let her down!

"The report simply stated there was an intruder." Starfire's voice sounded unconcerned as well! What was wrong with them? How could they not feel it!

He took a breath, and tried to steady his voice. "Well, whoever it is, we're gonna totally kick their-' He collided with Robin's back as the Boy Wonder came to a halt. Robin's eyes were frozen on something far above them, and Beast Boy lifted his gaze.

What he saw nearly stopped his heart.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it Titans? A month? A year? A millennia?"

This had to be a trick, or an illusion. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Far too long for my tastes anyway."

But that soft, deadly voice. That uniform, and the mask! It couldn't be anyone else.

"I was beginning to think I'd never see your smiling faces again."

Slade had returned, but how? He'd been swallowed up in lava and buried during that cave-in! How could anyone survive something like that?

He could hear himself speaking, as if recalling the event would somehow banish their enemy from existence. "Terra took you down. Way down!"

Robin stepped forward, that old tone of hatred leaking into his words. "Slade. I don't know where you've been, but you shouldn't have come back. I'm still ready."

Slade stepped to the edge of the catwalk, and even from that distance Beast Boy could see a red mark glowing on his forehead. His senses reached a fevered pitch, every fiber of his being warning him of what he already knew. This was what he'd been sensing.

He morphed into a hummingbird, taking to the air seconds before a stream of fire erupted from Slade's fist. He looked back to check on his friends, and saw Raven nearly engulfed by the attack before she changed into her soul-self and dove into a wall. The other Titans were too busy evading Slade's attacks to retaliate. It was up to him.

Slade inhaled deeply as he looked down at his sparking palms. "Ever had one of those days where you just feel happy to be alive?" He reignited his hands, but a green projectile slammed into him from the side, knocking him to his back on the catwalk. The green wolf snarled down at him, but the animal's face seemed to twist as it sniffed at his body. The wolf changed back into Beast Boy, his face drained of color and eyes bulging.

"Wha… what are you," he screamed as he backpedaled away from the man. Slade seemed to smile behind his mask as he advanced on the paralyzed boy. He leaned down, and Beast Boy finally got a clear look at the mark adorning his forehead. It looked like some kind of strange S.

"You're the one with the heightened senses my dear boy. I think you know exactly what I am." Slade's hand closed around his neck, and with a snap of the arm he was sent careening towards the floor. Landing in a crouch, he watched numbly as his friends continued the fight.

He dropped his head and panted, wishing desperately that he could clear that stench from his nostrils. Slade's scent hadn't been that of a human, or any other creature. It hadn't even smelled alive! It was some putrid odor; that of a corpse left baking in the sun. Or maybe the bloated carcass of some animal drowned in the river. He couldn't place it. It was like every form of decay imaginable, a variety of dead things rolled into one. And beneath it, there were sharp traces of sulfur and brimstone.

He watched as lightning began to pulse through Slade's body. Soon, massive bolts of electricity began striking across the room. The building began to collapse around them, but he was unable to move. This whole situation just seemed too unbelievable; his mind was unable to comprehend it. He felt his arm jerked upwards as Starfire tried to carry him out of harm's way. He ignored the pull and continued staring forwards, even as he was about to be crushed beneath a falling piston.

Raven's voice rang out over the chaos, and the sound of it broke through the daze clouding his mind. He looked up to see a green light speeding towards him, and then everything went black.

* * *

Raven flew towards the broken floor of the plant, dodging objects and debris floating in midair. Slade was still behind her, still taunting her on the futility of her actions. She didn't know what she could to do stop him, she didn't even know if he COULD be stopped. She looked to her friends, each of them frozen in place. Would any of them be able to help her?

She thought of Robin, or Cyborg. Either of them might be able to think of a plan to save her. But what if it didn't work? Would she be sentencing them to death when Slade continued his attack?

"Tick Tock, Raven." Slade's voice whispered from behind her, and she knew that she was out of time. Her eyes chanced on Beast Boy, and she remembered their conversation from before.

'He sensed that this was coming, and he seems to know more about it than the others. I can trust him.' She made her decision in an instant, dashing over and placing a hand to his chest. His body glowed momentarily before he was pulled from the stasis.

He gasped in shock as he took in his surroundings. He turned to her, and she saw that his face was torn between fear and amazement. "Raven?"

She tried to think of a response, but a soft chuckle drew her attention. Slade stood over them, as if waiting for their next move. Thinking quickly, Raven wove her magic around them and teleported them onto the street.

Beast Boy fell in a heap onto the pavement, his mind still reeling from being subsequently frozen in time and then teleported several blocks. He looked up at Raven, a thousand questions on the tip of his tongue, and none able to be voiced coherently.

"Raven… what did… how?" He settled for gesturing to the street around him, to the world standing motionless on all sides.

She sighed and landed softly beside him. "I don't know what I did. I guess this entire day I'd wanted time to move quicker, to finish whatever was supposed to happen. But then Slade showed up, and suddenly things were out of control, and I didn't know what else to do. So I just wished for everything to stop. Looks like it came true."

Beast Boy scrambled to his feet at Slade's name, gripping her arm for support. Though neither of them noticed, the glyph that Slade had burned into her forearm transferred itself to his palm at their touch.

"Raven, it was Slade that I was sensing! When we were getting close to the building, and then when we started fighting him! He's not human anymore, there's something unnatural about him."

"Unnatural," an amused voice rang out from above. "That's quite a harsh word, especially coming from someone like you, dear boy." Slade crashed down in front of them, and Beast Boy quickly moved to put himself in front of Raven.

Slade walked towards them, his voice shifting to that of an exasperated parent. "Come now Beast Boy, you're interfering in matters that do not concern you. Just step aside and allow me to deliver my message."

"Raven, run!" Beast Boy charged ahead as Raven fled down the street, ducking his head as he rushed at Slade. The masked man's fist struck out, but Beast Boy had dove under the punch and slid to the ground at Slade's feet. Suddenly two great horns stabbed upwards and into his chest as Beast Boy changed into a bull. Bellowing, he swung his head back to throw Slade into a wall. The man crashed into the bricks with a sickening thud and dropped to the ground. Beast Boy returned to normal and turned to follow Raven.

"Not so fast."

Slade pushed himself up, his neck bent at an angle. He fixed his eye on Beast Boy as he slowly snapped his head back into place with a series of cracks.

"No way," Beast Boy murmured as Slade's fist blazed with light. That hit should have broken his back! And those holes from where he'd been gored, they hadn't slowed him down at all!

"I told you not to interfere. Since you seem determined to place yourself in my way, I'll just have to remove you here and now!"

Slade leapt forwards to grasp Beast Boy by the arms. A sudden heave sent the boy flying into the air, and after taking aim, he launched a missile of flame to strike him dead-on in the chest. As Beast Boy was blown over a rooftop, he turned back and continued his pursuit of Raven.

* * *

Beast Boy screamed in pain as the fireball collided with his body. He felt his momentum increase from the blast, and he forced open his eyes to see the structures speeding by underneath. Struggling to look over his shoulder, he saw a large stone building coming into view. He might not have been too good at math, but it was obvious this was where he was going to land. No, this was where he was going to CRASH.

Without another option, he morphed himself into a tortoise and huddled deep into his shell. He felt a sudden blow as he smashed through a dome of glass, and in the last seconds before impact, he changed into an Ankylosaurus, hoping that the dinosaur's armored plates would hold together. An object crumpled beneath his weight, doing little to slow the speed of his descent. He broke through several more barriers before his plunge ended with a final slam into a wall.

Reverting to his normal self, he lay in a daze on the floor for what seemed like hours. His chest still burned from Slade's last attack, and as resistant as his last form had been, that crash had still taken a lot out of him. When the ache had finally subsided, he pushed himself to a sitting position and took in his surroundings.

From the shelves of books surrounding him, he could tell he'd landed inside a library. There was something strange about this place, however. Everything was covered in a sheet of dust and cobwebs, and the majority of the books were moldy and crumbling. It looked like he'd been the first one here in a very long time.

Beast Boy groaned as a sudden pain flared in his back. For a dead guy, Slade sure did pack a mean punch.

'Wait, Slade! Oh geez, Raven's still out there in trouble. I gotta find her, and quick!' Placing his hand against the wall, Beast Boy began rising to his feet, not noticing the sudden flash of light beneath his palm. As he leaned against it, a hidden door slid open, and he fell with a scream into the darkness.

He rolled down the stairway, his already bruised body colliding with the steps and walls with every tumble. After what felt like an eternity, he sprawled out across a solid floor.

A sudden chill settled over him, and he quickly scanned the room for any signs of danger. The walls were lined with alcoves, each holding the statue of a robed skeleton standing watch over the hall. There was no movement in the shadows around him; it was as still and silent as a tomb.

Beast Boy backed away cautiously, hoping to maneuver up the stairway without turning his back on the room. There was something here. He couldn't see or hear it, but he could feel himself being watched. The presence seemed to fill the space, noticeable only by the heaviness of the air, the weight that pressed down on him from every side. He jumped as a sudden breeze blew across his cheek. The air was stirring, but there was nothing to cause it.

"_what do you fear, human?"_

He stopped in his tracks, not knowing if he had just imagined the whisper that came from his left. His eyes swept over the room again, and still nothing moved. He had to be imagining things!

"_events have been set in motion far beyond your reckoning."_

He spun around in fear. Something was speaking, and those last words had been voiced from directly behind him! He turned in place, trying to pinpoint the sound when another voice came from beneath him, then another from the right! Suddenly the air was filled with voices, each of them a whisper carried by the breeze still brushing against him.

"…_cannot be stopped."_

"…_your deeds…"_

"…_your life…"_

"…_taken by darkness."_

The voices surrounded him, burying him beneath their breathless words. He made a dash for the stairs, desperate to escape, when another sound came from outside. It was a feminine yell that he could recognize from anywhere.

"Raven! Hold on, I'm coming!" Reaching the stairs, he morphed into a hawk and flapped up and out of the ruined library. As he exited, the hidden door again slid closed, but not before a shapeless mass of shadows slipped out from beneath it.

* * *

So, what do we have so far? Raven's in trouble, Slade's running amok, and now Beast Boy's unwittingly released a mysterious, potentially malevolent entity into the world. Not exactly an ideal way to spend the evening.

Read and review, next chapter is on the way!


	4. A Moment of Peace

Alright, next chapter. Took me a bit longer than I'd originally thought to get it ready, but I suppose there's no point crying over spilt milk. After all, it could have been whiskey. Anyway, a fair bit of warning for the readers. There will be a good bit of the BBXRaeness in this chapter. I dunno if I'd go so far as to call it fluff, but judge for yourselves.

Chapter 4- A Moment of Peace

_Had we but world enough, and time,  
This coyness, lady, were no crime.  
We would sit down and think which way  
To walk, and pass our long love's day;_

_Andrew Marvell- To his Coy Mistress_

* * *

The world was dead. Everywhere she looked, the city lay in ruins. On the streets below, thousands of stone figures stood, each once a living, breathing human. They were posed in the act of running, each of them petrified in an instant. Further out, where their shattered home stood in a sea of lava, there were three more statues. Starfire, Cyborg and Robin were imprisoned in the stone as well, each of them frozen in the midst of battle. But where was Beast Boy?

"Look at it," Slade's voice whispered from behind. "Drink it in. Behold the world you are destined to create." As much as she wanted to look away, she found her gaze drawn to where his hand pointed, to an untouched corner of the city skyline.

A gigantic figure rose up amongst the buildings, sending the few remaining structures toppling to the ground. She recognized the four burning eyes, the antlers spiking outwards from its head. She watched in horror as her father drew up to his full height, and a smaller figure floated into the sky alongside him. This person she couldn't recognize, as they were covered in a red, hooded cloak.

"No." She pressed her hands to her forehead, trying to force the image away. "I won't do it. It's just a vision, it can't be real…" Hands gripped her shoulders, turning her back.

"This is the future. Your future. It began the day you were born, and nothing can stop it." She could feel Slade pressing up against her, his face directly to the side, just out of her vision.

Her father's hand lifted, and she could see that another person was clenched in his fist. The hand opened, and the person collapsed onto Trigon's open palm. The smaller figure lifted an arm, and as the cloak opened, she caught a glimpse of her own clothing underneath. A black glow came from the raised hand, and now the boy was being lifted into the air.

"This will come to pass. I will make sure of it. You're going to destroy the world, Raven. It's written all over your face."

The figure's hood fell away, and she was now looking into her own face, eyes glowing red and teeth drawn back in a snarl. The black glow constricted around the boy's form, and she could hear Beast Boy's scream echoing through the blasted landscape.

Raven's eyes flashed white as she lost control over her powers, and everything went black.

* * *

As he flew out of the ruined library, he took a quick glance at his surroundings. The evening sky looked the same as he remembered. The city was still locked in time. Hopefully that was a good thing. Landing on a nearby rooftop, he changed back into a human and considered his next move.

'Ok, Slade's got crazy fire powers, seems pretty invincible, and smells like a zombie. Attacking him head-on didn't work at all, but distracting him might still give me enough time to get Raven away from him.'

Putting Slade off balance seemed like the best option. Whatever he had become, he still seemed to rely on his physical senses like any normal person. Changing into a skunk or a squid and blasting him in the eyes might disorient him enough for them to get a head start. It was the only chance he really had at this point. Deciding to give it a shot, he stepped up to the building's edge and prepared to leap off when the realization hit. He had no idea where either of them could be.

'Hmm, if I was Raven and I was getting chased around by an undead guy that shoots more fireballs than the Mario brothers, where would I go?' He looked out across the skyline, hoping that an answer would magically appear. None did, and he clenched his fists and yelled up at the motionless sky.

"Come on Raven, I'm trying to save you but I need some help here! Give me a sign!"

As if in response, a black shape exploded from a building in the distance. He looked up in surprise, recognizing the glowing silhouette rising into the sky.

"That'll work," he muttered as he headed towards the skyscraper. Changing into a kangaroo, he vaulted and leapt between buildings, each bound taking him closer to his destination.

Raven's soul-self vanished in a flash, and he tried to keep his eyes fixed on the building as he continued on. A growing noise from behind caught his attention, and he looked over his shoulder to see a wall of green light sweeping across the horizon towards him. He pushed himself faster, desperate to stay ahead of the wave before it could overtake him. Looking back ahead, he could see that there were more waves of light, each speeding towards the building where Raven waited. As they drew closer, he could tell that it was one conjoined field, a dome of magic that was shrinking as it neared its destination. Try as he did, it was impossible to outrun, and as the hum behind him built to a crescendo, the wave caught him.

There was no physical blow, but for a moment he felt as though his entire body was being compressed inwards. There was a rush of air as the wave passed, and suddenly time was moving again. The wind blew softly around him, and the bustling noise of the city replaced the silence. All around him, the world was as it should be. But if the spell had suddenly ended… what had happened to Raven?

Beast Boy looked up towards the building and gasped. An object was falling from the top, and even from that distance he could recognize that violet hair. Raven was unconscious, plummeting helplessly towards the street below. With no time to think about his actions, Beast Boy jumped from the roof, morphing into a peregrine falcon. He tucked in his wings and pushed himself into a dive, his speed rapidly climbing until he had shot past Raven. As a rooftop grew closer and closer, he quickly flared his wings to cut off speed. When his momentum had slowed enough, he morphed into a gorilla and landed in a bruised heap on the concrete.

Wearily opening his eyes, he could see Raven about to fall past him once again. He waited for the right moment before throwing himself backwards from the roof. Raven was directly above him, and he quickly pulled her into his chest before crashing down onto another building. He tumbled across the roof before skidding to a halt. Every part of his body felt like it had been soaked in acid, but he was relieved to see that Raven was still safe in his arms. Breathing a sigh of relief, he passed out, his body reverting to normal in the process.

* * *

Raven was pulled out of her slumber as a breeze swept over her. She shivered, but refused to open her eyes. She had been having a wonderful rest, and she wasn't going to ruin it just because she'd forgotten to close the window before going to sleep! She curled into a ball and cuddled in further, smiling at the warmth coming from her bed. Another burst of cool air chilled her skin, and she realized that she must have kicked the sheets off earlier in the night. Her hand moved outwards, trying to feel for her blanket. She stopped in confusion as she felt her bed rising and falling beneath her arm.

Raven frowned and pressed a hand down onto the surface. Since when was her bed heated? And why did it feel so firm? And why on earth was it… breathing? Her eyes shot open as she looked down at Beast Boy's face, her bare arm across his chest.

Her eyes widened further as she tried to process the information. She was lying on top of Beast Boy! She had been SLEEPING on top of him!

'Oh, Azar, what did he do? What did **I** do!' Her face darkened until its color resembled a tomato, a myriad of possibilities racing through her mind. Trying to calm her racing heart, she lifted her head to examine their surroundings. To her surprise, they were lying near the edge of a rooftop in the midst of the city. To her relief, Beast Boy was also fully clothed. That eliminated the possibility of some hormone driven escapade, but why would they have been lying unconscious on top of some building? And where were the others?

A strand of hair had fallen over her face, and she was about to reach up to push it aside when she noticed the length. Somehow, her hair had grown past her shoulders. Lifting her hand to move it away, a glowing symbol on her palm froze her still. She watched in horror as the Mark of Scath seemed to pulse and glow in time with her pulse, and she remembered what had happened. She looked up quickly, almost expecting Slade to be standing over them ready to strike. To her relief, the masked man was nowhere in sight, and the flow of time had been restored. The city had returned to normal.

Sighing, Raven laid her head back down. After all she had done to avoid it, all the waiting and hoping, her birthday had come and gone as horribly as she had known it would. Slade's words continued to echo in her mind; his warning of her destiny and the fate of the world. She had never felt more helpless in her life. She was so tired, all she wanted was to rest, to close her eyes and lay there forever. Hopefully Beast Boy wouldn't mind…

"Beast Boy!" She let out a gasp, looking back down at her friend. She had failed to notice it before, but he was in terrible shape. She could still see the burn mark across his chest where Slade had blasted him, along with numerous others cuts and scrapes from the night's events. No wonder he was still out cold, the pain had probably overwhelmed him!

She tried to raise herself into a sitting position, only to have Beast Boy's arms reflexively lock around her and pull her back to his chest. Settling instead for simply freeing her arms, she squirmed in his grasp until her left arm was loose. Calling on her healing magic, she placed her palms flat against his chest and began her work. Instantly, a blue glow surrounded his body, and she was relieved to see each of his wounds closing with a burst of steam.

'At least my birthday didn't have any negative effects on my powers,' she thought as she waited for her friend to wake up. Now that his injuries were healed, it should be any second.

Beast Boy seemed to have other ideas. Rather than awakening, he pulled Raven closer to him and nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. She tensed involuntarily, but strangely found herself enjoying the embrace. It was like one of his hugs, except far more soothing and tender. Never in her life had she experienced this kind of contact, and she decided that she didn't mind it at all.

Her musings were interrupted as she felt Beast Boy's hands beginning to move. 'Is he waking up? Will he remember what happened? How am I going to expla…' If possible, her blush intensified as she felt one of his hands come to a halt over her rear.

* * *

Beast Boy let out a yawn as he slowly awakened. He loosened his grip to stretch out his right arm, using the left to keep hold of his pillow. He didn't know what it was doing on top of him, but it was much softer and warmer than usual. He paused momentarily as he ran his hand over the surface. Had his pillow always been this big? It also smelled like lavender, but the only thing that smelled like lavender in their home was…

His green eyes shot open, looking up into Raven's face.

'Oh crap.'

For a moment neither teen moved, both unsure of how to respond. It was then that Beast Boy finally took note of where his left hand was holding the young sorceress. He felt all the blood drain out of his face as he saw it resting comfortably on…

'Crap, crap crap! Her butt? I've been groping her in my sleep? I'm so dead. She's probably going to send me to another dimension, or drown me in a vat of Spam, or suck me into her mirror and let all of her emotions use me as a piñata!' Each scenario was more horrifying than the last, and he suddenly felt like it would have been safer back in the creepy library when a very soft voice came to his ears.

"Um, Beast Boy? Can you please let me up now?"

He ripped his hands away from her as though she was hot enough to scald him. He scooted away nervously as Raven pushed herself up onto her knees. She took several deep breaths until her blush had dissipated, then turned to face him.

"Raven, look it wasn't my fault! Really, you were all falling from the sky, and this green bubble thing was coming up behind me, and I caught you, but then I blacked out or something! And then I woke up, and I thought you were a pillow!" He flailed his arms wildly, trying to provide a convincing defense to save himself.

"Beast Boy," she said. His pleadings immediately stopped, and he stared at her with fright plainly written on his face. "It's alright. I trust you. After everything that's happened tonight, I know you wouldn't do that purposely."

His face lit up in relief, but suddenly fell as a different emotion clouded his features: guilt.

"I'm sorry I only got here in time to save you from falling. If I'd gotten here sooner, I could've stopped Slade from," he gestured helplessly to her tattered clothes. "From doing whatever he did to you. You trusted me to help you, and I let you down."

For the first time since awakening, Raven felt very conscious on the state of her appearance. Her blush returned as she quickly sat back, bringing her knees up to cover her upper body. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she tried to ensure that as much of her torso was covered as possible. She glanced back at Beast Boy and suddenly felt foolish for her actions. The green boy still looked distraught, and she could tell that impure thoughts were the last thing on his mind.

"It wasn't your fault," she reasoned, hoping to set his mind at ease. "The entire team couldn't stop him before, so you and I never stood a chance. What happened to me was unavoidable, and I see that clearly now. But you stayed with me as long as you could; you faced Slade alone when you sensed what he was. I'm grateful for what you did. And in a way, I'm almost glad he separated us." Beast Boy looked at her in confusion, and she gave him a weak smile. "If we'd stayed together, he might have killed you to get to me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened."

Her answer seemed to ease his guilt, but she could see that something still bothered him. She reached forward to lay a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Raven, just tell me honestly, the straight truth; is it over? This whole mess with Slade, is he gone? Are we safe?" She looked into his piercing green eyes and wondered what to say. What could she say? The whole truth? What would he think if she told him that her destiny was to bring the world to destruction? But then, he hadn't asked for the whole story, just if it was finished. She wouldn't deny him that.

"No, Beast Boy. This was only the beginning. I don't know when, but Slade will be back."

A cold resolve seemed to set into his face, and he brought up an arm to place his hand over hers. "When he does, I'll be ready for him. I wasn't there for you this time, but it won't happen again. Trust me, whenever you need me, I'll be there. No matter what, I'll protect you."

A smile worked its way to her lips at his words. For the first time since this horrible day began, she felt safe. She barely noticed as Beast Boy took her other hand and gently pulled her to her feet.

"Now, let's get you home."

The two made their way to the roof's edge, but if either had looked back, they would have noticed something strange. Beast Boy's shadow was darker and thicker than Raven's, and it followed his movements erratically, as though it had a mind of its own.

* * *

And another chapter done! I'd originally planned for this one to go on a bit longer, but the next section just didn't seem to work as an immediate transition, so I decided to start it up as the next chapter.

I'd also considered moving rather quickly through the end of Raven's encounter with Slade and subsequent rescue, but then I decided that there was some good potential for a quasi-romantic scene, even the instigating moment for the eventual relationship, so I had to expand it.

Anyway, read and review, and stay tuned for the next installment! Ye olde shadowy presence is now following them home, and we're looking at a good old confrontation in the near future.


	5. Home Again

This chapter took a lot longer to get out then I'd originally hoped. Part of it was summer work getting really intense, other part was a minute series of writer's blocks. At any rate, here's the next installment. Thanks for your patience!

Chapter 5- Home Again

_After every storm the sun will smile_

_for every problem there is a solution_

_and the soul's indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer._

_William R. Alger_

* * *

"Do you think you'll be able to make it home," Beast Boy asked as he looked over the edge of the building.

Raven was wondering the same thing. With how greatly she'd pushed herself in the past hour, could she focus enough to call on her powers?

"I'll try." She closed her eyes and tried her best to concentrate. She recited her mantra again and again, trying to ignore the building nausea that was building inside her. For a moment she felt the miniscule chill of her magic settle around her, but it vanished in an instant as her stomach gave another lurch of discomfort. This wasn't going to work. Opening her eyes, she dropped her head and took several large, gulping breaths. When she was halfway convinced that she was no longer in danger of vomiting, she looked over to Beast Boy.

"I don't think I can do it." She inwardly cringed at the weak sound of her voice. She sounded like a child! Beast Boy didn't seem to notice. Instead, he took another look down and nodded to himself.

"Ok then. Looks like it's up to me to save the day! And you'll be travelling in style too; First Class on Pterodactyl Airlines!"

She couldn't help but smile as the green dinosaur appeared and clumsily attempted to bow. 'Even with everything that's happened, he's still trying to cheer me up.' She waited for him to grasp her in his claws and begin their descent, only to watch in confusion as he turned his back to her and sank down to lay flat on the roof. Moments passed, and the dinosaur finally turned its head back to look at her.

"Aren't you coming?" He had changed back into a human to speak, and Raven had to resist commenting on how ridiculous he looked laying spread-eagle on the roof like a throw rug.

"I was waiting for you to come pick me up. Isn't that how you always carry Cyborg around?"

He shook his head. "Raven, Cy's arms are made of metal. It doesn't hurt or anything when I pick him up. You can feel stuff though, and I don't think you want your shoulders bruised from my claws."

Raven sighed. "Alright, I understand what you mean. So what do you think we…" She realized he hadn't moved from his current position. "Tell me you're not suggesting that I ride you."

"What's wrong? Never been piggybacked?" He asked with a grin.

She wanted to snap at him, but it was late, she was tired, and it looked like a storm was on the way. Swallowing her pride, she stomped over to the prone boy.

"So how do I do this?"

"Easy," he replied. "Loop your arms around my neck, and make sure to keep your legs centered along my back so my wings don't hit you. Then just hold on!"

In an instant the pterodactyl had returned, dipping its body to let her climb up more easily. Using his wings as handholds, she scrambled up onto his back, throwing her arms around his neck to keep from sliding back off. The green scales were cold and rough against her bare skin, and for a moment she wondered what this felt like for him. He turned his head back once again, and she futilely tried to examine the saurian's face. If dinosaurs could look embarrassed, it was too subtle to notice.

"Alright, I'm ready." Beast Boy nodded and pushed himself to his feet. The great wings flared up on either side of her, and Raven felt a sudden tremor of fright shoot through her. She had been flying most of her life, but that had been through the use of her powers. She'd never experienced something like this, and she found herself tightening the hold on his neck in anticipation.

The wings snapped downwards and they seemed to shoot into the air. Raven hung on tightly as they swept in low among the skyscrapers, Beast Boy weaving around obstacles with a grace that belied his forms' apparent clumsiness. For her part, Raven tried to stay centered on the beast, keeping her body from drifting to one side. The erratic beating of his wings seemed to constantly change their speed and motion, and she clenched her eyes shut and pressed herself against his back to escape the vertigo.

The sudden rumble of thunder gained her attention, and she looked up to see a mass of black clouds rolling in above them. Beast Boy noticed as well and the pterodactyl sank lower between the buildings, nearly skimming the streetlights and power lines as he continued on, trying to outrun the storm that was building up behind them.

* * *

Beast Boy frowned inwardly as he felt Raven's arms squeeze tighter around his neck. With how tense she had been during the flight home, he would've thought she'd be happy to be back.

'Maybe she's worried about the landing,' he thought as he banked low over the island and glided down as gently as he could manage.

The lights were on in the tower. The others must have already returned from the plant. What had it been like for them? Had a moment seemed to come and go with Slade, Raven and himself vanishing into thin air? He didn't remember his communicator going off after the flow of time had returned. More than likely he had failed to notice it in his mad rush to save Raven from her fall. Robin was probably near hysterics by now, and Beast Boy would have bet a year's worth of tofu that he and Raven would be getting one hell of an interrogation by the time the night was over. Now that he thought about it, Raven was probably worried about the exact same thing.

Flattening himself down on the rocks, he waited until his passenger had scrambled off his back before returning to his normal form. Climbing to his feet, he moved to Raven's side and placed her arm across his shoulders for support.

"What do you think we should tell them?" The question seemed to catch her off-guard. He didn't see why, when it seemed like the obvious thing to ask. She had been the one Slade was after, and she'd been the one to unfreeze him for help. He just figured that she'd either know what was going on, or she'd know what to say to their friends.

"We are going to tell them the truth, Beast Boy. My powers accidentally stopped time, and you and I unsuccessfully tried to escape from Slade." She paused, choosing her next words carefully. "What happened to me after we were separated is my own business, and what happened after you saved me is just between us. Are we clear?"

Beast Boy gulped. He hadn't even thought of mentioning that awkward moment on the rooftop, but as Raven's stare seemed to drill into him, it became the last thing on his mind. He settled for giving her a quick nod before slowly helping her up to the entrance. Pressing his free hand into the keypad, he let out a sigh of relief as the first drops of rain began to fall. They'd made it just in time. The door opened, and a pair of hands shot out and yanked them inside.

"You are back and unharmed!" Starfire quickly pulled them into a bone-crushing hug as she laughed happily. Her two victims winced at the pressure, but allowed themselves to be swung in a circle before being deposited roughly on the couch. Immediately the other three Titans crowded around them, a barrage of questions issuing from their mouths.

"Man, what happened to you two? The whole place was falling apart and suddenly you're just gone! Where did-"

"How did you escape the building? We attempted to search the wreckage for some time-"

"What happened to Slade? Are either of you hurt?"

"Raven! What has happened to your clothes?"

With all of them speaking at once, the questions blended together into an indecipherable mass of noise. Even if he wanted to answer one of them, it would be impossible to tell who had asked what. He glanced over to see Raven fidgeting uncomfortably next to him. With the other three taking notice of her appearance, her usual shyness had returned full force. Without her cloak and hood to conceal herself, she had resorted to dipping her head to let her hair fall over her face. Choosing once again to be a gentleman, Beast Boy pushed himself off the couch, raising his hands to gain the others' attention.

"C'mon guys, no more twenty questions okay? Raven's had a rough night, and the last thing she needs is to explain everything all over again." His friends seemed to freeze in surprise, their eyes widening as he spoke in her defense. Their mouths dropped open in shock as he turned and extended a hand to the sorceress, then fell further when she gratefully accepted his hand and pulled herself up.

Beast Boy helped her down the hallway, either ignoring or failing to notice his three friends as they followed him in stunned silence. Coming to her room, Beast Boy waited until Raven had punched in the code and stepped inside before entering himself. As his friends moved to follow, he turned around in the doorway and looked at them sternly.

"I'll be right out, and then you can ask me whatever. Got it?" They nodded mutely, and the door closed.

* * *

By the time he turned around, Raven had already sat back on her bed, a spare cloak thrown around her shoulders. He noticed it was the same position as when she had been watching the clock earlier that night, only now she was no longer tense and nervous. Instead she was slumped forwards in exhaustion, as though the whole night's events had finally come crashing down on top of her. He took a step forwards, and she turned to look at him through the veil of her hair.

"Thank you for getting me out of there."

Beast Boy nodded. "They're just worried about you, that's all. I'll go out and talk to them later, let them know what happened." She gave a quick nod before looking away, and he stepped up to the bed to try and catch her attention.

"Is there anything else you need?" She didn't respond, and he dropped to his haunches to get a better look at her face. "Just let me know if there's something I can do for you."

Her head lifted, and he noticed that there was a red tint to her cheeks. "Could you… leave me alone for awhile? I'd like to get changed sometime tonight, get some actual clothes on." For the first time since entering he noticed her cloak and the way she was clasping it shut. His own face began to redden as he realized the implications.

'Nice going genius, you completely forgot that she's been like that ever since you woke up! She was riding on your back, holding onto your shoulders and everything while the whole town was probably watching.' His ears drooped as he mentally kicked himself for being so ignorant. Nodding quickly, he jumped to his feet and headed for the exit. He was stepping through the door when he heard her voice once again. It was quiet, almost a whisper, and meant only for his sensitive ears.

"Thank you again, for everything. I'm glad you were with me tonight." He smiled to himself and exited the room.

As soon as the door slid shut behind him, he once again found himself face to face with his friends. Apparently they hadn't moved an inch since he had told them to wait outside. Come to think of it, they were still wearing the same shocked expressions as before. Now he was starting to get worried. What if Raven had accidentally stopped time again? Or maybe his friends were the only things frozen? What if he was suddenly moving so quickly that they just looked like they were frozen!

At the verge of panic, he lunged forward and grasped Robin by the shoulders, shaking his friend wildly like a rag doll. "Rob, come on! Speak to me, snap out of it! I can't be stuck in time again, I didn't even go 88 miles an hour!" Robin fell backwards with a yelp, nearly pulling Beast Boy down on top of him.

"Calm down! We're all fine." He looked up at Beast Boy indignantly. "For your information, we were just… contemplating the situation. That's all."

Their leader's voice seemed to bring Starfire and Cyborg back to their senses, although the latter still had a flabbergasted expression on his face.

"I just… what… you walked her to… she let you into her… didn't even throw you out the window…"

Starfire cleared her throat hesitantly. "We are merely surprised at the actions you both have performed. We did not expect you to so quickly jump to Raven's defense when we attempted to inquire as to your whereabouts. It is also most unusual for her to accept assistance of any kind, and to allow you to accompany her into her room…" She trailed off and glanced nervously at her hands, as though she feared her next remark would be ill received. "On my planet, such actions would imply that you have shared a truly painful experience, one which has greatly strengthened your bond. We merely wish to know what has occurred."

Beast Boy stifled a yawn. "You guys aren't going to take no for an answer are you?" Their expectant faces were the all the reply he needed, and he resignedly leaned back against the wall. For some reason, he was beginning to feel weary, like his entire body was weighed down by something. "Alright, what do you want to know?"

Robin had picked himself off the floor, and after re-spiking his hair and brushing the dust from his uniform, he gestured for the others to follow him down the hall.

"Let's take this to the common room, no sense just hanging around Raven's door while she's trying to rest. We might as well get some work done while we listen."

'Work done?' Beast Boy wondered as they began to walk down the hall. What on earth could they possibly have to do at this hour of the night? He didn't know if he could even keep his eyes open! He trudged after the others, each step seeming slower and heavier than the one before it. As they came to his room, he gave it a fleeting, wistful glance before continuing on. He passed by the door, and in an instant the shadow around his leg seemed to darken and pulse. As he took another step, a patch of darkness seemed to seep from beneath his foot, sliding across the carpet and vanishing into the blackness of his room.

Beast Boy stopped in mid-stride. He couldn't explain it, but something felt different inside him. It was as though all the weariness and fatigue that had built up since awakening had drained away. He felt great now, like the energy from his impromptu nap and Raven's healing had finally soaked in. With a spring in his step, he jogged up to his friends.

"So what's the plan," he asked. A smile broke out on Starfire's face at his sudden enthusiasm, and she quickly gripped his hand and flew the rest of the way to their destination.

When they entered, Beast Boy could only stare at the sight. The decorations and banners they had previously made for Raven's party had been repaired and placed about the room. The food, the games, the balloons, even the Crown of Meat was accounted for.

"Once we had discovered that you were not to be found inside the wreckage of the building, Robin suggested we return home to await your return. As we were all quite distressed, I decided that preparing another party for the birthday of Raven would be a useful way of keeping occupied!"

A gloved hand came to rest on his shoulder, and he turned to see Robin offering him a tight smile. "The fight with Slade didn't end well for any of us, and even though I know you're both exhausted, we thought that it wouldn't hurt to try one more time to end the day on a good note."

Beast Boy nodded and grinned. For the first time since this day began, he had a feeling things would end up alright. "Sounds good dude! Let's start getting ready, and I'll fill you all in."

* * *

The scissors closed around the final loose strands of hair, and with a quick snip, she had completed her task. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Raven was satisfied that her appearance was back to normal. She laid the scissors down and nervously examined her hands. To her relief, they were clean and unmarked, as was the rest of her body. The glowing, archaic glyphs that had trailed across her limbs seemed to have vanished.

She was snapped out of her musings by a muffled thump from somewhere outside her room. Peering out into the hall, she noticed a series of arrowed markers strewn over the floor. As she followed them, she recalled that earlier that day she had been the victim of a high decibel birthday ambush, and she mentally scanned the tower to locate the others. As she expected, they were grouped together inside the common room, exactly where the arrows were leading. Stepping up to the door, Raven prepared herself for the upcoming cacophony.

To her surprise, they were much more subdued this time around, no doubt having learned their lesson from the first attempt. She considered simply refusing once again. Truth be told, such an act would probably be justified. She had been stalked by a resurrected psychopath, chased halfway across the city and given the wonderful news that she was destined to bring about the end of the world. Why would she possibly want a party after all that?

But then again, her friends had always supported her before, and they were by her side even now. She had said herself that she hated parties, but how could she, when she'd never been given one before? She looked again at the decorated room. Nobody had ever done something like this for her, and there might not ever be a chance for it to happen again.

Raven looked at her friends with a calm, almost menacing stare. "We're going to need ice cream."

Smiles on their faces, her friends leapt into action. Robin stayed behind, his face carrying a look of hesitation. She was about to ask him what was on his mind when he spoke.

"Listen, Raven. Beast Boy told us what happened out there."

She felt her breath catch in her throat. "Oh did he? And just what did he say?" She shot a cold glare over her shoulder at the green boy. If he had told them about what happened on the roof, it wasn't the piñata she was going to be smacking around later…

"He filled us in on what happened with Slade. How you wound up stopping time, and then how you both were separated before he found you later."

She let out a breath of relief, but Robin wasn't finished yet. "He also said that you mentioned knowing that this was going to happen on your birthday." He gave her a disapproving frown. She could tell he was indignant. He was never happy about being left out of the loop.

"Yes, I did know that SOMETHING was supposed to happen, however I had no way of knowing what it might be. I felt no need to trouble any of you about my personal business." Robin raised a finger to interject, but she already knew what he was about to say. "Beast Boy knew about this because he sensed it ahead of time. Call it his instincts, or animal intuition. Whatever the case, he was aware of it as well, and that was why I chose to rely on his assistance."

Robin dragged his fingers through his hair, frustration plainly showing on his features. "But even so! If we'd even been told about the situation, we could have done more to help! We would've been ready for Slade…"

"Listen to me. There was nothing you, or I, or any of us could have done to stop this. Even if we had tried to prepare, Slade was too powerful to defeat. Beast Boy threw him against the wall hard enough to snap his neck, Robin, and it didn't even faze him. Beast Boy said that he didn't even seem human anymore."

Robin's attention shifted to Beast Boy, his tone growing curious. "Really? He never mentioned that to me."

Raven sighed as Robin looked ready to go into full detective mode. The last thing she wanted was Robin going off and bringing the conversation back to what happened earlier. She stepped up behind him and took hold of his cape, pushing Robin towards the rest of the group. "First things first. This is my birthday party and you are therefore obligated to do whatever I want. One of the rules I am setting down is that there will be no further interrogations at my party. We are going to eat, then play inane and pointless games for the remainder of the night. You are not to harass Beast Boy for the entirety of this event. Are we clear?"

"Yes Raven," Robin replied sarcastically. Unknown to the dark girl, however, one arm snaked behind his back to cross his fingers.

'She didn't say anything about after the party though!' Robin grinned to himself as he and Raven joined the others.

* * *

Alright, that takes care of the Birthmark section of the story. Next up will be the first confrontation between Beast Boy and the shadowy presence. See you all there.

Cro


	6. Alone with the Darkness

Partly out of a sense of authorial inspiration, and also because of a desire to get to the main crux of the story, I've worked through a fairly impressive hangover and finished up the next chapter.

Chapter 6- Alone with the Darkness

_And by his smile, I knew that sullen hall_

_By his dead smile I knew we stood in Hell._

_Wilfred Owen- Strange Meeting_

* * *

Beast Boy feigned a yawn and stretched his arms outward. When he was sure that he'd gained everyone's attention, he gave them his best smile and hiked a thumb towards the door.

"It's been a great party dudes, but I think I hear a pillow calling my name." One of his ears flicked upwards, and he nodded along as though agreeing with some unseen speaker.

"Yep, definitely calling for me. It's saying _'BEEEEEAASSSTT BOOOOOYYYYY, COME SLEEEEEEEP ON MEEEEEE.'_ Guess I'd better listen to it. You know it's bad to upset them. I'll be in to help clean up first thing in the morning."

"I wish you a most pleasant rest, friend! And convey my greetings to your pillow, and that I hope we may converse in the near future." Starfire gave him a quick squeeze before flying back to the main group. The others bid him a goodnight as well, except for Robin, who seemed to be casually ambling towards the door.

'Too casually,' Beast Boy thought. He quickly locked eyes with Cyborg and mouthed 'distract him' before exiting the room. As he made his way down the hall, he kept his ears cocked behind him, sure he was going to hear Robin's ninja-like footsteps approaching at any second. When none came, he opened his door and stepped inside, anxious to begin a well-deserved rest.

He froze immediately after entering the room. Something was wrong. The very air around him seemed weighed down, as though something massive was filling the empty space. His eyes darted around, his body instinctively reacting to the unseen threat. As far as he could tell, the room was empty. But wherever he looked, movement seemed to flash out of the corners of his eyes. The shadows themselves seemed to thicken and take form the second his gaze left them. He let out a breath, and the exhalation seemed to echo deafeningly throughout the room. As if awakened by the sound, something stirred.

A feeling of power washed over him, as if he had just been swallowed up by a living thing. The sensation of being watched began to prickle at the back of his neck, and he suddenly remembered where he had felt this. His stomach clenched as he recognized it as that same presence from beneath the library.

Now aware and focused upon him, the presence began to gather, pulling itself in from around the room. He felt pressure against his face and neck, small touches that vanished as quickly as they came, like a blind man trying to feel his surroundings. The touches seemed to clear his thoughts, and he quickly backed away from the presence, frantically searching for the keypad to open the door.

Before he could find it, the door slid open with a hiss, and he found himself backing into something. He turned around in fright, choosing to confront this new arrival over the current threat. Much to his relief, it was Robin who stood in the doorway.

The Boy Wonder smirked at Beast Boy as he began entering the room. "Fleeing somewhere?"

"Wha? No, I was uh, and then, with you blocking the only exit? Of course not." He laughed nervously, chills running up his spine as he felt the presence weaving around them.

Robin nodded and closed the door behind him. "Good, because I'd like to have a talk with you about earlier tonight."

"Great idea Rob! We should have a good long talk. How about in the common room, or down in the garage, or up on the roof?"

The wall behind Robin began to darken and churn, a shape beginning to form from the blackness. It was amorphous, flowing and drifting in the air like a cloud of inky soot. It drifted down between them, snaking its way back and forth in front of their faces. Beast Boy waited for Robin's shout of alarm, for a defensive reaction, for anything. To his shock and dismay, his friend simply walked through the mist and sat down on his bed.

"No, I'd rather get it done here and now. Besides, I'd like this talk to be private." He pointed a finger at the mattress next to him. "Come on, no stalling this time."

'Private? You're talking about privacy when there's some black smog stuff flying over our heads!' He wanted to get out of here as soon as he could. Forget the door, he wanted to just smash his way through the wall! Robin cleared his throat, an impatient gesture designed to get his attention. Beast Boy sighed. If this thing had followed him all the way across the city, running out of the room probably wasn't going to get it away from him. Besides, he couldn't just leave Robin here to get his eyes sucked out of his skull or whatever it was planning to do.

He kept his eyes warily on the cloud as he took a seat. For whatever reason, Robin couldn't see or feel this thing at all, and he didn't want to act like he'd gone insane by freaking out over invisible smoke beings. So far this thing hadn't made any hostile moves, so he'd just keep an eye on it until Robin took a hike.

"I spoke to Raven during the party, and she told me a few things you'd forgotten to mention during our little briefing earlier." He frowned and snapped his fingers in front of Beast Boy's face, drawing his attention. "You didn't tell me everything that happened when you tried to protect her from Slade."

The presence was drifting directly above him now, curling around him as though it was waiting on his response. He resisted the urge to dive out from under it and thought back to Robin's accusation.

"What do you mean? He was still chasing her, I tried to stop him and got my butt kicked. Raven and I got seperated in the process, and that's the last I saw of him."

"No, that's not all that happened! She told me that you hit him with enough force to break his neck, that you saw him get right back up after HIS HEAD SNAPPED TO THE SIDE!" He stopped and took a breath. The presence wafted behind him, seeming to take a new interest in the dark haired boy. He looked back to Beast Boy once his breathing had leveled out.

"Alright, fine, I left that part out. The whole time we were fighting him something didn't feel right. He had a weird smell to him, and those flamey powers, and he kept getting back up after Raven or I hit him. I know it might have looked and sounded exactly like Slade, but he didn't seem human anymore. I could feel it."

Robin was silent as he pondered his next words, allowing Beast Boy to watch as the mist swept across his face. Robin's skin seemed to blacken and decay where the blackness touched, and he nearly lost control and bolted from the room. He forced himself to remain motionless, relieved when the marks vanished back to nothing after the presence had moved on.

"Is that why you were acting so nervous today, because you sensed Slade coming back?" His eyes widened. "Wait, is that why you and Raven were staying together before the alarm?"

The presence seemed to recoil, and Beast Boy again found his skin prickling as a chill settled over him. It must have turned its attention back to him. He got the feeling that Robin wasn't the only one interested in this story, and he nervously wondered if he wanted to be telling this thing anything else.

'Okay, just enough to get Robin out of here. Tell him what he wants to hear, then deal with the smog monster.' Taking his eyes off the mist, he looked over to Robin.

"Remember when we beat Doctor Light? How Raven suddenly told us she wanted to get back to the tower before midnight? Well, about that time I started getting this weird feeling that something bad was about to happen. I spoke to Raven about it, and since I knew what was going on, she figured she could trust me. That's why I stayed with her, and that's why she unfroze me to try and protect her from Slade."

Robin nodded as he recalled the previous events. "Yea, I definitely remember how strange you and Raven were both acting. At first I thought it was just some kind of coincidence, but then when the alarm sounded and you two were sitting on her bed hugging, I just didn't know what to think."

The presence was circling around him now, and he was getting the strangest sense of eagerness from out of nowhere, like it was hanging onto every word he spoke. This was getting to be too much for him, he had to get rid of Robin, NOW.

"Listen dude, it's not like I was purposely keeping things from you or anything. It's just been a long, freaky night and I'm exhausted. I know that me and Raven saw this coming before anyone else, but that doesn't mean we understand it. I can't really explain anything else."

Robin nodded and pushed himself up from the bed. "I understand that, and I know I probably sound paranoid and suspicious right now, but I hate being unaware, especially when a villain like Slade is involved. I was also just concerned for you and Raven, you guys are like family to me, the siblings I never had." He reached down to pat Beast Boy on the shoulder, his hand parting the mist and sending it churning around them. "I just don't want anything bad happening when I could've done something to help."

"Thanks for telling me what you could, even if it doesn't help us at all, I still appreciate it." He turned to leave, but cast one final look over his shoulder as the door opened.

"Now that Slade's back and stronger than ever, we have to be able to rely on each-other even more. I'm glad I can trust you." His smile was the last thing Beast Boy saw as the door slid shut.

* * *

The entire room had darkened as the mist spread itself out and around him. Once again he could see movement flickering out of the corners of his eyes, and as his night vision continued to adjust itself, he realized that the presence was building itself up, seeming to gain strength from the shadows. He once again contemplated running, but it felt as though he was fixed to the spot. Trying to gather his courage, he focused his eyes on what seemed to be the center of the presence.

"What are you? I know you can hear me."

The mist pulled back slightly, as though it was surprised to be addressed directly. It seemed to pulse, and he suddenly felt a dull ache blossoming in his head. As though he could feel its emotions, a light blue seemed to cover his vision as the presence changed away from black. He wondered for a moment if this was what Raven's empathy felt like before the words came. It was speaking directly to his mind, but it was a crude, raw transmission that seemed to burn into his consciousness, leaving images, words and emotions to flash behind his eyes.

A jumbled mix of impressions swept through him, and a tone of bemusement hinted that the presence had not conversed with another for some time. It greeted him, admitting that it had been present when he stumbled upon the crypt beneath the library. It had merged itself into his own shadow, following him as he saved Raven and returned to the tower.

He winced as the words faded. "What do you want from me though? You can't have just hitched a ride to come visit my room."

A faint shimmer of amusement caused the presence to flash bright yellow at his remark. His vision clouded and he found himself standing in the room beneath the library once again. Surrounding him were dozens of robed men and women, each of their foreheads branded with a strange glyph. Their arms were lifted in a chant, their faces hopeful as they spoke. Though he couldn't hear their words, he saw as their arms fell one by one, disappointment clear. Before he could ask the presence what he was seeing, his head began to spin.

The images bled together and merged into another scene. He was being pulled rapidly through the halls of the tower. As he passed them, the walls to his friends' rooms vanished, allowing him to see inside. Robin was typing away at his computer, casually finishing a report on Doctor Light's capture. Cyborg was hooked up to his power recharger, regaining energy as he snacked on leftover pizza. Starfire was currently trying to give Silkie a bath and… he came to a stop outside his own room. Looking inside, he could see himself huddled up in the corner, eyes darting frantically around the room.

The scene shifted, and he saw Slade knocked to the ground beneath a snarling wolf. The animal sniffed at the prone man, then leapt back in terror and disgust.

The scene shifted, and he saw himself trembling in fear as voices whispered around him beneath the library.

The scene shifted, and he saw himself and Robin sitting on his bed, one boy calm and collected while the other was fearfully watching a misty shape bend and twist around them.

He was once again in his room, his head pounding from the barrage of information he was being shown. Did he understand now, the presence seemed to ask. He was the only one who could sense it, could communicate with it. For anyone else, a slight chill might be the only result of its speech. He was unique, the only one in all the world who could help it.

"Help you?" He didn't understand what this thing wanted. "Help you with what?"

A low, buzzing hum passed through him as the presence expressed relief in his willingness to listen. Feelings of frustration and helplessness accented the claim of imprisonment. It had been trapped for centuries, doomed to an unjust perdition. Several years past, it managed to escape for a time and secure the means for its later release. His help would be a minor act, and such a small gesture of charity would be nothing difficult for a hero such as himself.

Beast Boy wasn't sure what to think. Something about the spirit struck him as malicious. It might have been the vague, flattering way it requested assistance, or maybe something more subtle, something implied in its tone. Whatever it was, his instincts were again telling him to run, and he trusted them far more than this sweet-talking entity. He thought back to Malchior and how they had nearly all been killed because a poor imprisoned "mage" asked to be freed.

"I don't think that's such a good idea. The last imprisoned guy that Raven let out ended up being a big, nasty dragon who tried to barbeque us all. That's not really something I want to go through again."

A sharp and bitter feeling flooded into his mind, and the presence burst into a dull and angry red. There was a great amount of contempt directed at Raven, who the presence claimed was using him for her own selfish reasons. She was lying to him.

"That's not true!" He yelled out in the stillness, trying to direct his voice at wherever the presence was currently situated. "She asked for my help because we're friends, because she trusts me."

A series of pounding booms echoed through him, and he could tell the presence was laughing, its scornful amusement lacing his thoughts with a drab yellow hue. The world began to spin around him, and he braced himself for what was to come.

The scene shifted, and he watched as Raven maneuvered around his questions on the rooftop.

The scene shifted, and Raven told him not to speak of what happened, citing it as her own personal business.

The scene shifted, and Robin was telling him that she had spoken behind his back, telling their leader what he had confided only to her.

He nearly retched as he was forcefully pulled back to the present. The presence hovered above him, and feelings of impatience began to throb within his head. Had he decided? What was he going to do?

"I'll tell you what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna go right out this door and bring all my friends back in here! I don't care what it takes, Cyborg's tech or Raven's magic, they'll find you! And once they do, we're gonna figure out how to kick your ghostly butt out of the tower!"

He expected another enraged outburst, but to his surprise the presence merely seemed to gather itself away from the door. A quick flash passed behind his eyes with the tone of a parent explaining some matter to their child.

He was welcome to try and leave, but it would do him little good. Once his attempt failed, perhaps then he would be willing to speak.

Not wanting to give the presence a chance to change its mind, Beast Boy rushed for the door. His hand moved for the keypad, only to strike an invisible barrier placed directly over it. He reached for the door itself, hoping to pull it open far enough to escape, but found the same obstacle. On the verge of panic, he transformed into an ant and tried to crawl beneath the exit. It was no use. Frantic, he changed into a rhino and slammed his head against the wall, but to no avail. Returning to his normal self, he spun around to face the presence.

"What did you do?" He'd meant it to sound intimidating, but the tremor in his voice revealed his fear, and the presence spoke in a tone of smug satisfaction.

He had been trapped, of course. He was, after all, the only person in the world capable of helping it, and it had no intention of letting him escape. Now that he realized the folly of his actions, perhaps he was willing to cooperate?

Beast Boy snarled and clenched his fists. If he was trapped, then the only option would be to fight his way out!

"Yea right, so you can make invisible boxes? Well so can mimes! You're just a cloud of soot with third rate telepathy! I could beat you with a dust-buster! Why don't you come out here and try to scare me into helping you? What are you hiding for?"

A low, dangerous rumble glinted in his mind as the air itself seemed to electrify. The presence darkened into an oily black, and red sparks began to pop and shoot through it. It warned him that demanding such a thing was foolish. It wished to cooperate peacefully, but if he insisted on challenging it, then it would force his assistance.

Every fiber of his body was telling him to flee, but the rational side of his mind knew that there was nowhere to go. Feeling as though he was condemning himself to death or worse, he gave his answer.

"You heard me. Show yourself."

The mist filling the room suddenly contracted into a dense and pulsing orb. Black shadows began to pour out of the orb, creating a portal of darkness. His mind was suddenly overwhelmed by a sensation of pure evil. A fetid stench began to waft from the portal. It reeked of brimstone and sulfur and rotting carrion, and he found his eyes watering as he gagged on the scent.

A form was beginning to take shape from the portal, and he could feel his consciousness being pushed back by a cold wave of terror. The presence was no longer speaking through his mind, but he could hear a maddening number of whispers that were so strange and alien to his mind that he could barely understand them. A low roar issued from the portal, and the whispers blended together for an instant to create one last, discernable message.

"Know me by my true name and tremble. Look upon me and despair mortal, for you now face the lord of demons, TRIGON THE TERRIBLE!"

* * *

Really enjoyed writing this particular chapter, especially the initial conversation between Beast Boy and Trigon. I know alot of readers probably had a good idea who the presence was all along, but I wanted to keep it at least somewhat mysterious for as long as I could. Hope the style of communication wasn't confusing. I wanted Trigon's incorporeal form to have a more roundabout way of speaking. I also hope I kept Robin's dialogue pretty believable. Even though this is an alternate version of The End, I'm not completely writing him out of the events.

Read, review and enjoy, and I'll see you here for the next chapter!

Cro


	7. Dealings with the Devil

Damn but this one took awhile. Went through a ton of revisions with Trigon's dialogue before I got it to a barely satisfactory state. Hopefully I kept his performance true to form.

Chapter 7- Dealings with the Devil

_Behold Dis,_

_And behold the place where thou_

_With fortitude must arm thyself_

_Divina Commedia-, Inferno canto 34_

* * *

The whispering echoed through his mind as a faint roar came from the darkness. The noise increased, and he recognized the growing crescendo as the approach of something massive. The black portal gave a shuddering ripple, and for a moment it took the form of a screaming human face. It vanished as quickly as it came, and the darkness began to push outwards as a burning light replaced it. The fiery glow enveloped the portal, seeming to burn a hole into the very fabric of reality. When the light subsided, Beast Boy found himself staring into Hell.

It was a place he had hoped never to see, much less in his mortal life. Through the portal he could see ash and dust churning endlessly through the stifled air. It was an infinite expanse of rock and lava, bottomless valleys gaping into blackness while jagged peaks seemed to rise forever. Below were millions of figures, their features hidden by the light of the fires. His vision blurred from the distance, but he could hear the dismal sounds rising up even from the bottom of the vault; it was a blended mix of human screams, a dirge of pain and sorrow that nearly shattered his consciousness.

The roar was growing louder, its rumble beginning to rise over even the screams of the damned. He tried to concentrate on it, focusing every sense on its direction, fighting to tune out the sights and sounds of the inferno below him. The rumble was almost upon him, and beneath it he could hear the thundering booms of footsteps. A gigantic shape suddenly reared up and into view, its size filling the portal. He caught a glimpse of white hair and red skin rising past his sight, and then a yellow blazing eye loomed up before him.

The eye narrowed slightly, and a tremor crept up his spine as it focused on him. He thought it had been bad before, when Trigon had followed him as a disembodied spirit. This was far worse. Now he could hear the growling breaths, see his own terrified reflection in that eye, and understand just what was examining him. He felt like an insect being frowned upon by some uncaring god, and perhaps that was all he was to this demon; an insignificant pest.

The demon rose to his full height, stepping back from the portal to afford itself a better view. With what little stability remained in his mind, Beast Boy tried frantically to estimate the size of the monster. It was larger than his own T-Rex transformation. It was larger than the fire creature Slade had summoned while tricking Thunder and Lightning. It was even big enough to have crushed Malchior in the palm of its hand! Trigon's face bent inwards, and Beast Boy caught a glimpse of the mouth, full of gleaming, dagger teeth. Each of those fangs was larger than he was!

The cavernous mouth gaped open, and a hot wind smelling of carrion and blood roiled over him. He could dimly tell that Trigon was speaking to him, but the words seemed to come from far off, as though he was rapidly moving away from his living body. His heart still felt as though it would burst from his chest, but the feeling seemed to grow fainter and fainter by the moment. A massive gust of wind crashed into him, and he hardly felt the impact as his body collided with a wall. The cold waves of panic around him were dulling into a heavy fog, and as he felt the last remnants of his consciousness beginning to tear, he saw Trigon lifting a hand the size of a tanker truck and leveling it towards him.

* * *

Trigon gazed through the portal, a malevolent smirk crossing his face. The boy had shown great courage earlier, but it had been the same foolish bravado that all mortals possess when they are unaware of the true danger before them. He could see the fear now, that primal terror that locked his body in place, helpless to do anything but stare in awe and dread.

"**As you demanded, so have I revealed myself. Tell me again, brat, how you intend to banish me from your home? Explain how you intend to defeat one such as me? You are small, weak. Your life wanes and vanishes in a moment while I am eternal. You have no idea what true power entails, yet you presumed to challenge me? ME!" **His last word was a bellowing roar that knocked the boy clear off his feet, blowing him across the room and into a wall.

Trigon laughed mockingly, waiting for the child to react. When no movement came, he looked closer, suddenly anxious that he had mistakenly caused more harm than he intended. He let out a disdainful snort as he realized that the boy's sanity was on the verge of collapse. How could he have been so foolish? With all the anxiety and fear and confusion that the boy had endured, it was only natural that the stress would be too much for his feeble mind to bear.

This would not do. Though he loathed admitting it, he required this mortal's help if he was to proceed. Lifting a hand, he pointed towards the boy and focused. A soft, blue glow surrounded his fingernail, a soothing light that seemed utterly out of place coming from him. The demon's brow furrowed in concentration, and Beast Boy was suddenly enveloped in the same blue light. His breathing gradually slowed, his heartbeat dropping back to normal. As the glow dissipated from his body, his blank and lifeless expression cleared, and with a series of blinks his bright, green eyes had returned. He glanced around in confusion before his gaze returned to the portal. At the sight of Trigon he let out a high-pitched yip and pressed himself back against the wall. The smell of fear no longer radiated from him, replaced instead by a surprised caution. At least now his mind was stable and he was no longer in danger of a complete mental breakdown. Trigon smirked in triumph. Perhaps now they could speak earnestly.

"**I trust you'll find me less overwhelming now?"**

"What did you just do to me?"

Trigon chuckled. **"What I did, boy, was bolster your mind to withstand my presence, saving you from succumbing to the grip of insanity. My daughter is not the only one capable of healing."**

Beast Boy's eyes widened in realization. "Whoa! Healing like your daughter? Do you mean Raven? Wait, then that means you're that big red dude from her mirror! The one who was stomping around shooting lasers and shouting 'Rage shall consume you' over and over again! Wait, why do you got antlers now?"

Trigon paused in surprise. The boy had ventured into his daughter's mindscape? This mortal was becoming more intriguing by the minute.

"**What you encountered was the manifestation of my daughter's demonic nature. A pale imitation, but physically quite similar. You'll find that I am far more real and more dangerous." **He chose to ignore the question about the antlers.

Beast Boy grinned, hoping that he looked more confident than he felt. "Yea, but Raven clobbered the other you all by herself! With all of my friends working together, you're gonna go down so fast it'll make your antlers spin!"

Trigon feigned an expression of shock, looking as though such a possibility had never entered his mind. **"No! How could I have been so blind as not to see my inevitable defeat? With you trapped inside this room, and your friends unable to even sense my presence in this world, how could I possibly hope to succeed?"**

'Great, now he's mocking me. I guess that's where Raven gets her sarcastic side from. Could this get any worse?' He was right though; Beast Boy was still stuck in here alone with him.

Pushing away from the wall, he stepped back to the portal and locked eyes with Trigon. At least, he tried, but found it difficult to decide which one to look at. He finally settled on the bottom right.

"So you wanted to talk, I'm listening."

"**Excellent. I trust that with this confinement and the preservation of your mind, you have gained an idea of how important you are to my goals. Knowing this, I hope you will come to your senses and realize that there is no option but to obey me and agree to my request."**

Beast Boy paused before replying. With his fear of Trigon slowly melting away, he found himself becoming more and more annoyed at being spoken down to by the demon. Maybe it was his turn to throw a few insults around, and if he was as important as the big guy said, it's not like Trigon could risk hurting him.

"Alright, fine. Since you're not letting me out of here, how about you tell me what exactly you want?"

Trigon's eyes narrowed. **"Have I not already made my intentions clear? I desire escape from-"**

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Beast Boy cut him off with a wave of his hand. "You want to get out, and you need my help. I got that the first time. How 'bout explaining what you want me to do? Am I supposed to click my heels together or something?"

The demon scowled. **"I warn you, mortal. Speaking to me so insolently is a very unwise act."**

"Man, sorry for trying to make a little joke. It's not my fault you were being all confusing earlier with your little smoke visions."

"**Boy, your cheek is beginning to vex me."**

"Hey dude, you're the one who screwed with my head or whatever so I wouldn't be afraid of you…" He paused as a wicked grin spread across the demon's face.

"**True, and I could remove that mental reinforcement just as easily." **His hand once again began to lift, and Beast Boy waved his arms frantically.

"No, wait, that's alright! No more backtalk from me!"

Trigon nodded, his hand falling back to his side. **"A very wise choice. Now, if you are through chattering, I will explain what will be required of you. As I tried to explain earlier in that… 'little smoke vision' as you called it, I have been seeking an escape from my own imprisonment. My mortal servants, however, were unable to communicate with me, as weak and dull as their senses had become. Though I had previously created the means of my release, I am still unable to achieve them. For this, I require a mortal's aid.**

Beast Boy raised his hand. "Um, question? You still haven't told me what you want me to do yet, and-"

"**SILENCE BOY! Your impatience is truly infuriating." **He watched Beast Boy in silence for a few moments, making sure that there would be no more interruptions.

**"Your ultimate role in my escape is unclear. I only know that you will have some part to play when my time comes. Until then, you will have a different purpose. As you see me now, I remain trapped in this underworld."**

He gestured around himself. **"The only place in your world through which I can manifest is the crypt you encountered tonight. Even then, I am capable of interacting in the mortal realm only through my ephemeral state, and I cannot tarry long before my essence is forced to return. What I require is a mortal body to carry that essence, a host which I might use as an anchor for my spirit. I have chosen you."**

"So you want to possess me and make my head spin around and vomit pea soup and crawl on the ceilings!" A measure of panic had begun to push its way back into his mind as an image of Linda Blair appeared in his thoughts.

Trigon growled. Where was the boy coming up with these ridiculous conclusions? **"I will not directly possess your body. My spirit will reside within you. We will be capable of telepathic communication, I will see through your eyes and listen through your ears, but I will not be capable of manipulating your physical form."**

Beast Boy missed the unspoken 'yet' in Trigon's words, but his mind was already made up.

"Sorry, but no thanks. I never really wanted an imaginary friend, so a big growly devil in my head doesn't sound that great either. Guess you'll have to find somebody else."

"**Are you trying to deny my will?"**

"Yea, pretty much! Go on now, poof back into smoke and go to your library. Shoo, shoo! I'm not helping ya."

Trigon leaned forwards. **"And tell me, mortal, what makes you think you have a choice?"**

Beast Boy found himself being lifted bodily into the air. As he was pulled up to the portal, he saw that Trigon had moved closer, with only those four glowing eyes visible. He tried struggling, tried shifting into larger forms and breaking free of the hold, tried slipping away as smaller creatures, but with every change he remained frozen in place. With no other options, he reverted to a human and looked into Trigon's eyes. They suddenly flared with a blazing light, and then he was falling, deeper and deeper into a darkness that seemed to have no end.

* * *

A shape formed in the blackness, and he barely caught a glance at it as he hurtled past. It had looked like a chunk of rock. More objects sprung from the void, and he was soon plummeting down through a swarm of floating asteroids. Another one appeared below him, far larger than the others. As it loomed closer and closer, he realized sickly that he wouldn't be avoiding a collision with this one. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to brace himself for the impact.

His momentum shifted in the final moments of his descent. He wasn't sure if he had changed direction or the asteroid had somehow rotated, but he slammed into the rock at a shallow angle instead of head-on. His body crashed into the grey earth and skipped back into the air like a stone before coming down again. On the third landing he stayed in contact with the ground, tumbling and rolling to a painful stop. He lay prone on his stomach; eyes clenched shut as he waited for the pain to subside. When he no longer felt in danger of vomiting, he blinked the tears from his eyes and tilted his head to the left to examine his surroundings.

The grey stone of the asteroid stretched out blankly around him. The sky above was black and filled with stars, and he could see the shapes of smaller asteroids zipping across the horizon. Beast Boy groaned and dropped his head back to the ground, watching the motes of dust that blew away at his breaths.

'Great, just great. I mouthed off a little too much to the big, the red and the ugly and he sent me to another dimension. Now what do I do?'

Pushing himself to his knees, he was about to turn and look in the other direction when he noticed a shadow falling over him. From the corner of his eye, he could tell it was a humanoid, nearly as tall as he was, standing motionless to his right. It must have been there since he had fallen. With no way to tell if the person was friendly or hostile, he figured his best option was putting some distance between them. Throwing himself to the left, Beast Boy somersaulted across the ground before leaping to his feet and facing the figure. His mouth dropped open in shock.

"Raven!"

* * *

Couple of notes on Trigon- Yea, I know that in Season Four he has red eyes, but I never really liked that look as much, bit too monochromatic and all. I think the yellow eyes he had in the Nevermore episode work better, so that's what I'll be sticking with. Speaking of Nevermore, how come when Rage was impersonating him he didn't have any antlers? Did she just not like the look of them? I guess it could be that even though she's the mental personification of anger, she still has some femininity in her and she wanted to look as nice as possible. That would also explain the lack of mutton chops, and the rich, baritone voice he was using at the time.

At any rate, hope you enjoy the chapter, and with any luck the next one won't take quite so long.

Cro


	8. Sealing his Fate

Alright, chapter eight's up and running. This one might be a bit confusing at first, but it does fit in with the larger events taking place.

Chapter 8- Sealing his Fate

_I had a dream, which was not all a dream._

_The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars_

_did wander darkling in the eternal space._

_Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth_

_swung blind and blackening in the moonless air._

_Lord Byron- Darkness_

* * *

Beast Boy's thoughts were racing as he slowly relaxed his stance. What in the world was Raven doing here? Had Trigon somehow sent her to this place after confronting him? He shook his head. There was no way she would've gotten here before him if that had happened. That also ruled out the possibility of her discovering his absence and coming to rescue him.

As he continued to think, he finally noticed that Raven hadn't moved an inch from her current position. For a moment he wondered if it was truly her. For some reason she wasn't giving off her usual scent, but even with the low light and her back turned, he could recognize her anywhere.

"Raven," he asked. "Raven, it's me Beast Boy. Where are we? How did you get here?" Unnerved by her lack of response, he crept closer. Something was definitely wrong with his friend. She was completely still, and maybe it was just his eyes playing tricks, but it almost looked as if she was colored a dull grey.

"Raven, I-" His voice trailed off as he went to lay a hand on her shoulder, only to feel cold rock beneath his palm. Frowning, he stepped around to get a better look. It was Raven alright, but only a statue of her.

'What the heck?' He quickly looked the statue over. Raven was leaning forwards with her face in her hands, posed as though she was sobbing in fear. Whoever had made it had done an amazing job; the details were absolutely perfect, and he could even see small rivulets in her cheeks where tear tracks were supposed to be.

'Well that's weird. Why would somebody put a statue of Raven in the middle of nowhere like this?' As Beast Boy scratched his head, he took a quick glance back at the area where he had landed. Although he hadn't noticed before, there was a large stone wall directly behind the statue. Cut into the barrier was a path that turned to the left. Curious, he stepped inside and followed the path, only to find that it branched in two directions further ahead.

'A maze? Why does all this seem really familiar all of a sudden?' Shrugging away the question, he morphed into a bird and tried to fly above the maze for a better view. That particular plan ended when he slammed into a field of electricity. The powerful shock coursed through him, shattering his concentration and returning him to his human form, something he did not realize until he had fallen painfully to the maze's floor.

"Owww," he moaned as his body continued to tingle from the jolt. "What kind of person booby traps the top of a maze?" He continued writhing on the ground for a minute before sitting bolt upright, the pain forgotten as he suddenly remembered where he was.

"Hey, wait a minute! Crazy floaty meteors, electrified mazes, weird red starry sky, this is Raven's head! I'm in Timid's place right now!"

Congratulating himself on his infallible memory, he rushed back out of the maze to the statue at its entrance.

"Yep, definitely Timid's area. It looks just like her. Still doesn't make sense for it to be here though. Kinda an odd place to have a statue of yourself sitting in the middle of the road like that." As he examined the sculpture, he suddenly noticed something in the distance, and his face broke into a wide grin.

'It's that gate thingy that we used to go to different parts of her mind!' Caught up in his newest discovery, he raced down to the structure.

"Ah yes, the Forbidden Gate I believe this was called," he remarked sagely, stroking his non-existent beard. "Very forbidden, and very… gatey as well. Being a forbidden gate, it would make sense that I'm not supposed to use it." He folded his arms and nodded, silently agreeing with himself.

"However! Sticking around in Raven's mind is probably a bit more forbidden, and as gates are usually a way to get from one place to the other, it would be best if I go through it. Go through one forbidden thing to get out of the other forbidden thing, makes perfect sense!" This was just too good to be true. If he could find the way out of Raven's mind, then he'd probably wind up in her room. Then he could warn her about Trigon!

He was preparing to step through when a sudden crash came from behind. Spinning around, he looked for the source of the noise. As far as he could tell, nothing had moved. The statue was in the same spot, and the maze looked the same as ever. He was about to turn back when a sudden flash of black caught his attention.

The glow was coming from the other side of the maze, and as he listened, he could hear an increasingly loud series of crashes and booms, almost like an earthquake was happening just out of sight. Against his better judgment, he took a few steps towards the maze entrance, wondering if Timid might be the one making the sounds.

The black glow suddenly flared upwards into a thrashing cyclone of energy. As he gaped in shock, he could see the storm crashing against the sides of the maze, tearing the stone to pieces and flinging debris out into the void. The last few walls began to crack and shudder, and he found himself scrambling back towards the portal.

The remaining pieces of the maze shattered, and Beast Boy finally caught a glimpse at the energy's source. In the eye of the maelstrom, a red-cloaked figure stood. His momentary happiness at seeing another living soul ended as soon as its head lifted and four red eyes blazed with light.

With slow, methodical steps, Rage began moving down the hill towards him, her eyes boring straight into his own. Black lightning pulsed across her body, and the cloud of debris was spinning even more rapidly around her.

"_Beast Boy…" _She hissed at him with a voice that sent chills down his spine.

Without hesitation, Beast Boy turned and dove into the gate.

* * *

"Great, just great. I somehow fall into Raven's mind, and out of all the tons of emotions she probably has, I'm lucky enough to run into little Miss Red Rum back there!" Beast Boy ran away from the gate, occasionally throwing it a suspicious glare in case Rage suddenly popped out screaming for his blood. It was during one of those backwards glances that he ran straight into an obstacle and fell to the floor with a groan.

Blinking the tears out of his eyes, he looked up to see that he had run head-first into a bookcase. Taking a moment to inspect his surroundings, he found that he was in what appeared to be a gigantic library. Rows of books surrounded him, their shelves towering high over his head. He could only stare in amazement at the number of them, his situation momentarily forgotten. There were thousands, millions even!

'What is this place? Are these books her memories or something? Or maybe they're all the things she knows; Raven is super smart and everything.' His curiosity was again at work, and he barely noticed as his arm began inching towards one of the hardcover books.

Snapping back to reality, he grabbed hold of the offending hand and forced it back to his side. 'No, bad Beast Boy! Rage is probably trying to gut and skin you as it is. Last thing you need is the real Raven getting pissed at you for snooping around.' Giving the books his best attempt at an indifferent look, he began weaving his way between the massive shelves, hoping that somewhere in the room he'd find another gate.

After what felt like hours of wandering, Beast Boy was beginning to get frantic. He had tried everything to find a path through the library. He'd memorized the look of specific books, scratched arrows into the wood, even tilted books onto their side as a way to mark his trail. Still he felt like he was walking around in circles, always suspecting that he had passed a particular shelf just a moment before. About the only thing left to do was begin marking his progress in a more… animalistic way, but there was no way he'd be doing THAT in Raven's mind. She wouldn't stop at killing him!

Falling back on an earlier plan, he turned to his left and pulled a large book from the row. Placing it on the ground behind him, he turned and continued on his way. Three steps later, he paused. He thought he'd seen a flash of movement from behind him. Spinning around, he was just in time to see the book suddenly float into the air and slide back into its proper place.

"You have got to be kidding me. This place is self-cleaning too?" Letting out a defeated sigh, he leaned back against a bookcase and slid to the floor. He was getting nowhere fast, and he didn't even know how long he'd already been here. Rage could be right on his heels. He had to get out of here now! Closing his eyes, he dropped his head and tried to steady his breathing. Whipping himself into a panic wasn't going to get him out any faster. He just had to stay calm, get his bearings, and then…

His ears twitched as he noticed a sound in the distance. It was too faint to have been heard earlier when he was stumbling around. Now that he was being quiet enough to listen, he could tell it was the soft crackling of a fire. A feeling of hope brought him to his feet, and he once again maneuvered between the aisles, his ears locked onto the noise.

After nearly a dozen twists and turns, he entered a large, open area among the bookcases. If he had to guess, he'd say it was some kind of study or reading room, based on the carpeted floor and large armchairs set before a lit fireplace.

'Wow, nice change of scenery. Quiet, cozy, maybe a few windows wouldn't hurt but definitely better than the creepy bookshelves.' He began walking towards the fireplace when he noticed an opened book peeking around the side of one of the armchairs. As he looked closer, he could see the back of a hand holding it up. He almost let out a shout of relief as he raced forwards. One of the Ravens, hopefully a non-evil scary one at that!

Rushing around to the front of the chair, he leaned over the book to gain Raven's attention, but felt the words die on his lips as he found himself looking into the face of yet another statue.

'What the heck's going on here? Why are there statues all over the place? Raven's a lot of things, but vain isn't one of them. There's no way her emotions would be making artwork of themselves.' Now thoroughly confused, he was about to step away from the sculpture when something caught his eye.

There was something different about this one. On further examination, he was surprised to notice that she was wearing glasses. Thinking back, he did recall a yellow-cloaked version of Raven showing up to help her defeat Trigon, but he'd never met the emotion personally. He thought she'd been called Knowledge, or was it Intellect? At any rate, it wasn't the idea of Raven's emotion wearing glasses that troubled him, it was the fact that they weren't actually part of the statue. Rather than being formed of stone and connected to the rest, they looked to be simply sitting on the face, and made out of real glass and metal. The same was true of the book in its hands. It was a separate object, formed of leather and paper, and held so tightly in the statue's grip that he doubted it could be pulled away.

That didn't seem right. People didn't just make statues with removable accessories, did they? That just wouldn't make sense. Looking at the statue's face, he noticed that it was turned sharply to the side, an expression of surprise and perhaps fear etched into its features.

'Weird expression to give it. Acting all shocked and scared, it makes it seem like she was just turned to stone or something.' He paused instantly as that single musing rapidly took hold of his thoughts. There was no way. But if not, then why hadn't he seen any of Raven's other emotions since his arrival? And why was Rage running around loose? And what else could explain these statues?

He stepped away from the statue, eyes wide as he saw it in a new light. As impossible as it seemed, Raven's emotions had been turned to stone. That meant that the statue back in Timid's realm had been Timid herself. And that meant he had left her alone with…

"Oh shit."

The words had barely left his mouth when a deafening crash came from the dark aisles. Clouds of dust and shredded paper swirled through the air as the bookcases began toppling to the ground like collapsing buildings. The storm of energy blasted into existence once again, demolishing the few remaining shelves as it slowly advanced.

"_Beast Boy…"_

Beast Boy lunged towards Knowledge, hooking his arms around her waist and desperately trying to carry her to safety. He tugged and pulled, but the statue refused to budge. He continued to try, feeling the muscles in his arms beginning to scream from the strain. Chancing a quick glance over the chair, he felt his blood run cold as the nearest bookcase splintered into pieces and a familiar red cloak came into view.

"_Why did you leave me back then? Why did you let this happen?"_

With nowhere to run, Beast Boy morphed into a small mouse and crawled down between the chair and Knowledge's stone cloak. The sickening howl of the whirlwind drew closer, and somehow even over its roar, he could hear the measured footsteps of Rage.

He hesitantly peeked out, terrified to see that she was standing directly beside the chair. The dark energy churned and thrashed around her, but the chair and its two occupants were untouched by the storm. As he watched, she looked back and forth across the empty room, her eyes searching.

The energy cyclone vanished in an instant, the debris falling to the ground all around them. With a sudden, harsh wave of her hand, the entire room was encased in black. Her hand clenched into a fist, and the broken objects began reassembling and repairing themselves until the room had returned to its previous, untouched state.

Rage's body seemed to sag as she bent over the top of the chair. Her eyes were wet, and they suddenly merged back into two, shifting between red and violet.

"_He's gone…"_

She gave a half-choked sob and flung her arm out behind her. A bookcase slid to the wall, revealing the Forbidden Gate. Her eyes splitting back into four, Rage gave a last, lingering glance around the room before stepping through.

* * *

Beast Boy's body hung limply in the air, a red nimbus of magic glowing dimly around him. Only inches away, Trigon was poised with his open palms cupped around the portal. Red motes of energy flowed from his hands, strengthening the illusion in which the boy had been trapped.

Trigon waited in anticipation. The boy's mental defenses were already weakening as he wandered alone and afraid through the dreamscape. When Beast Boy had unwittingly confessed to entering Raven's mind, Trigon knew he had found the means to ensure the possession's success. The Nevermore he once knew had been twisted into a ruined and deadly wasteland, and with no idea what had occurred, he could only wander blindly in the dark, uncertainty and fear poisoning his every thought.

The boy's body began to thrash and struggle, his face twisted into a look of pain. Trigon could sense his pulse speeding up, and his breathing become fast and shallow. It was time.

The giant palms moved forwards, breaking through the portal and into the mortal realm. As swiftly as they entered, the hands effervesced into smoke, where they coiled around Beast Boy's head and began to press inwards. Trigon could feel his essence making contact with the boy's mind, could feel the first pinpricks of their auras merging, and then he was repulsed, his essence shoved away.

To say he was shocked would be an understatement. Even in such a moment of pain and confusion, the boy was still capable of warding him off. The child must have attained nearly perfect control of his mental functions if he could resist such an attack while unconscious. Trigon frowned. He had been certain that a high enough level of stress and anxiety would make the mind easier to invade, but this boy seemed to thrive under such dangerous conditions.

An idea came to the demon's mind. Perhaps another approach could succeed? If he were to place the boy's subconscious at ease, then it might allow him entry. But how to proceed? What would set the boy at peace, make him content?

Trigon cast a malicious grin towards his future host. He knew exactly what to use. Or rather, WHO to use.

* * *

Essentially, this chapter came along because of a dissatisfaction with my original idea for handling the possession. When I was thinking of how to create the actual event, I decided it didn't make any sense to have Trigon just force his way in and just like that there's a foreign presence in BB's mind.

Honestly, considering the nature of his powers, his mental and biofeedback control must be superhuman. With all the animal instincts, he probably has to constantly maintain control of himself to keep his human side dominant. And when he transforms, he probably has to struggle even harder to keep that particular animal from overwhelming him. Hell, next to Raven he probably has more control of his mind than anyone else. Therefore, it made sense that Trigon would have to find some way of breaking through that. A dangerous situation wouldn't work, as that would require him to be more alert and focused, strengthening his state of mind. The alternative? Making him relax. But just how's he gonna do that? Find out next time!

Read and enjoy, and see you all for the next chapter!


	9. The Chosen One

*Sighs* Man, it's good to have this one finished. About three quarters of this chapter had been written and ready since October, but it was the various sections that made up the last fourth that ended up getting rewritten and revised over and over again. Oh well, hope that this chapter was worth the wait for anyone who's following this. Enjoy!

Chapter 9- The Chosen One

_Him there they found squat like a Toad, close at the eare of Eve;_

_Assaying by his devilish art to... forge illusions as he list, Phantasms and Dreams,_

_Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint_

_John Milton- Paradise Lost Chapter IV_

* * *

Beast Boy remained hidden long after Rage vanished. It took several minutes to come up with a plan of action, several more to build up his courage. Scurrying from behind Knowledge's statue, he returned to his normal self, and seemingly in defiance of all logic, walked through the gate.

It was a common misconception that Beast Boy acted without thinking. How could his friends think otherwise, when they had spent years of witnessing and dealing with the consequences of his apparent carelessness? They simply saw it as another facet of his personality.

In truth, Beast Boy was anything but short-sighted. If he chose to bring up the past, he could have explained that being impulsive was never an option for a member of the Doom Patrol.

Mento had drilled the concept of foresight into his head from his first days on the team. The myriad consequences that could arise from a single action, and the different ways a scenario could play out based on the smallest change of events. It was difficult for a child to grasp, but as the gravity of their missions began weighing down upon him, he came to understand. By the time he joined the Titans, Garfield Logan was a boy who never leaped without looking.

If that was so, then why in the world had he stepped into the Forbidden Gate? The one which an extremely powerful, angry and violent aspect of Raven had entered just moments ago?

The answer was that despite Mento's training, despite all of their life or death missions, and despite a lifetime of dealing with the results, he still acted with his heart instead of his head.

And so he realized that it was an unforgivably stupid mistake to follow Rage through the gate, rather than trying to backtrack to Timid's realm. He understood that it was idiotic to pass through in his human form, rather than as a smaller, stealthier creature. He knew that it was foolish not to try and escape as soon as his presence was discovered.

But hindsight and retrospection could never change the present, and so he stood, held firmly in place by her magic, as Rage rushed towards him. Her arms were opened wide, and her smile was the hungry grin of a shark.

* * *

Robin paused in mid-step as a soft beeping came from his wrist. He examined it briefly before straightening up and clearing his throat.

"THREEEEEEE O'CLOCK, AND ALLLLLLL-"

"Robin, if I have to hear you saying that "all's well" one more time, I'm going to drop you down one!"

The masked boy let out a very uncharacteristic shriek as he spun around to see Raven's half-asleep face poking out of her doorway.

"Oh, sorry about that Raven. Just trying not to get bored on watch duty, you know?"

Raven scowled. "Well, I'd appreciate it if you didn't yell right outside my door. If you have to listen to yourself shout, do it outside Cyborg's room. HE can turn off his hearing."

Robin grumbled as the door slid shut. Who did she think she was? Didn't she know that it's not allowed to question your leader's eccentricities? Shaking his head, he continued down the corridor, his eyes sweeping back and forth with the beam of his Bird-light.

'Note to self: You're not his sidekick anymore, so you don't have to have 'bird' in the name of every damn thing you own.' Hoping to get his mind off the tediousness of watch duty, Robin turned his thoughts to his longtime name and a potential replacement.

'Not that there's anything wrong with Robin. It just doesn't have the right amount of intrigue or gravity to strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Hmm, Starfire did mention something about a 'Nightwing' in the future. That's definitely a good name. It's mysterious, it's ominous, it sounds cool... yeah, that might be the way to go.

"In that case, I wouldn't have to have Birdarangs or Bird-hooks or Bird-bombs," he muttered, his frustration building as he listed off each of the progressively stupid names for his equipment. His eyes drifted down to the light in his hand.

"Of course, if I became Nightwing, then that would make this…" his teeth clenched together in annoyance. "A Night-light. Ah, screw it!"

Shoving the offending object back into his utility belt, he stomped down the hall, trying to forget his previous ruminations. Luckily, the distraction he was hoping for was literally right around the corner.

He paused outside of Beast Boy's room, taking note of the light shining through the crack beneath the door.

'Probably up playing videogames, and on the night of a training day too. I think it's time to dispense some indiscriminate justice!' Robin put on his sternest expression and keyed open the door.

He stepped inside just in time to see Beast Boy fall heavily to the ground. Robin reacted immediately, rushing up to his friend and hurriedly checking him for injuries. He was so focused on determining Beast Boy's safety that he had failed to notice the fading streams of energy over his head, or that the spot from where he'd fallen was almost six feet away from the bed.

Robin sighed in relief as he realized Beast Boy was unharmed, although he was surprised that someone could still be asleep after just falling out of bed.

"Guess he really was exhausted," Robin murmured. "That'd explain why he fell asleep with all the lights on as well."

Dropping to a knee, he pulled the smaller boy into his arms and gently carried him to the bed. At his touch, Beast Boy began to flinch and shudder, his body tensing up as though in pain.

Robin frowned as he laid the other boy down on the mattress. Beast Boy's struggles were becoming more intense, the pain on his face more pronounced.

Taking hold of his shoulders, Robin tried to shake him awake. "Beast Boy, can you hear me? Snap out of it, you're having a bad dream." Beast Boy's only response was a stifled moan, his head whipping to the side as if he'd been struck. Robin pulled his hands away. What if it wasn't a dream? What if Beast Boy was having some kind of seizure?

Robin stumbled back from the bed, his mind racing. Cyborg. Cyborg would be able to help. He was about to gather Beast Boy up and make a dash for the med-lab when he paused. Moving Beast Boy at this point might be dangerous to his health. He'd be better off getting Cyborg to examine him first.

"Must be a hell of a nightmare," he muttered as he raced into the hallway.

The door slid closed and red sparks again crackled into form above Beast Boy's head.

"**The nightmare has not even begun, mortal,"** Trigon hissed as he returned to his work.

* * *

Beast Boy screamed as he was slammed into the rocks, the black aura crushing him further against the canyon wall. The pressure lessened, and then he was being yanked backwards at subsonic speed. He caught a momentary look at Rage as he sped past her, but even if he missed the lowering of her outstretched hand, it was impossible to ignore his sudden contact with the ground.

He wasn't sure how long he laid there, his entire body flooded with pain. He didn't even know how long she had been torturing him. With all she'd done, he should have been killed several times over, but he had a feeling that since this was her mind, she could keep him alive and conscious as long as she desired.

The field around him pulsed, and he was again lifted bodily into the air. He kept his eyes squeezed shut, bracing himself for the assault that he knew was coming.

Minutes ticked by, and as he slowly relaxed, he became aware of a warm breath tickling his cheek.

His eyes snapped open to reveal Rage's face only inches away. Her two violet eyes were sympathetic, and a weary smile crossed her face as she brought a hand to his chin.

"_I'm sorry, but this is the way it has to be. You_," she gestured to the broken landscape, _"are responsible for this."_

She turned back to face him, and her voice became cold. _"It's all your fault."_

She leaned closer, and her eyes split into four. _"And you deserve this."_

She drew back her hand, and a crackling ball of energy appeared. Lunging forwards, she shoved the orb directly into Beast Boy's stomach. He didn't even have a chance to scream as the orb plunged into him and exploded, blowing him into the air.

He came down hard, his body glancing off at the initial impact. As he rolled and skidded across the dusty earth, he caught fleeting glimpses of Rage stalking towards him, energy sparking at her fingertips and her eyes filled with hate. He watched his tormentor move closer, pain and fear warring for dominance of his thoughts. She was almost upon him when she vanished.

Beast Boy looked around wildly, not believing what he had just witnessed. Rage hadn't teleported; there'd been no sign of her magic at work. She had simply ceased to be there.

"Be calm, child. You are safe."

He flipped himself onto his back, coming face to face with the speaker. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"Who are you," he whispered.

* * *

It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining brightly in a cloudless sky. The landscape through which he traveled was verdant and full of life, but Sir Cyborg had no time for such trivialities. He was on a quest of the greatest importance, and he would not be distracted.

As he crested the hill, the mechanical knight gazed down into the valley, his eyes riveted on the foreboding castle that stood in its center. White shapes milled about the ramparts, and he knew that his quarry was in reach. Spurring his mount, he galloped towards the fortress.

He could feel their eyes upon him as he halted at the moat. Lifting the visor of his helm, he called out a challenge to those within.

A guard appeared at the wall. "Foolish knight, what madness has taken you that you appear so brazenly at the gates of Sunny Side?"

Cyborg brandished his lance. "I have come for revenge against the kingdom of Egg People! Surrender your waffles, or I shall take them by force!"

The guard sneered, and soon more eggs appeared at the walls, laughing their yolks off at the lone enemy.

"You seek to attack us? I'll see you soft boiled before the day is done, knave!"

The drawbridge fell with a crash, and Cyborg's face broke into a smile. "I think not, prepare to be scrambled!"

He gave a snap of the reins, and his green stallion gave what sounded like a whinnying version of 'dude.' They galloped across the bridge, ready to-

"Cyborg!"

The metallic teen's eyes snapped open and he gazed around in bewilderment. As his eyes came to rest on Robin, he unhappily realized that he had been awakened from one of his strangest, yet most delicious dreams ever.

He sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Man, why'd you have to do that Rob? I was almost there! Just think, all those waffles, mine to control!" His whining tapered off as his thoughts turned once again to batter and syrup.

Robin groaned. "Cyborg, this is no time for complaining! I think Beast Boy's in trouble."

Cyborg's attitude sobered in an instant. "What's going on? What's wrong with B?"

"I don't know. I found him in his room after he fell off the bed. I thought he was having a nightmare, but he was shaking and twitching, and I couldn't snap him out of it."

Cyborg was already typing away at his computer, bringing the med-lab's systems online and keying them to Beast Boy's persona. Hitting a final key, he turned back to Robin, his eyes set and determined.

"Let's go."

* * *

Beast Boy stared at the woman before him, trying to focus through the painful haze that still gripped his body. She was taller than him, and though her white cloak covered her from view, he had a clear look at her face. The purple hair and gemstone on her brow immediately turned his thoughts to Raven, but something was off. Her skin was different, and her face was lined and aged in a way that Raven's was not.

He tried to speak, but the pain from his battered jaw halted the question. Trying again, he voiced his concerns on a far more pressing issue.

"Rage… where did she-"

The woman smiled and sank down beside him, resting a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "Relax; she cannot hurt you any longer. I have dispelled her."

Beast Boy's mouth fell open in shock. "What do you mean dispelled?"

"You are not truly within her mind. This is but a vision of the future, an illusion forged to assail your will."

He struggled to think clearly, fighting through the exhaustion to comprehend what was being said.

"The future… does that mean you're Raven once she's grown up?"

She laughed; it was a warm and soothing sound, and he found his thoughts clouding further as he relaxed.

"No, I am not her. You might say, however, that she will look quite similar to me in time."

Beast Boy studied her curiously. "You're related?"

"Indeed so. I am her mother, Arella."

His eyes were as wide as saucers. "Y… you're… but… she…"

"Yes. Though you were not aware of my presence, I have watched over Raven and her small family for some time. Thus I became aware of your entrapment in this dream world, and came to offer my aid.

Beast Boy exhaled slowly. "I'm glad you did. Rage, I think she was going to kill me. She kept saying this was my fault, but I don't even know what happened."

Arella's face fell. "As I said, this vision is of the future, one in which Raven was lost to her father's influence. You have seen the statues, have you not? Raven has been stripped of her personality, placed into a state where she feels and knows only the one emotion that remains."

"You mean Rage."

"Correct. Her demonic nature controls her, making her a willing servant to Trigon."

Beast Boy started at the name, and the soothing warmth that was pressing down on him vanished. "Wait, he's the one who sent me here, isn't he? He's trying to get into my head, isn't he? That's why he's wearing me down!"

He tried to scramble to his feet, only to feel a renewed wave of pain and nausea roll over him. He fell to his knees, coughing and retching in the dust, when a light touch settled over his back. Relief washed over him as Arella rubbed his back soothingly. He relaxed into her touch, memories of his own mother's care beginning to bleed into his thoughts.

"Be still," she urged. "All will be well."

He felt his head beginning to droop as his mother embraced him. But no, this was Raven's mother, wasn't it? The warmth seemed to press harder, and he realized it didn't matter. A mother was a mother, after all. A frown crossed his face, and he shook his head once as if to clear his mind.

"I have to get out of here, I can't let Trigon get into me," he protested.

Her voice was soft and insistent. "There is nothing you can do, he cannot be resisted."

Fear took hold of his thoughts, and in a panic he leapt to his feet, the pain all but forgotten.

"No, no that can't be right. There must be something we can do. You said you were here to help me!"

"And so I am," her tone was apologetic. "Even now, Trigon seeks to establish a link between your minds, and my influence is all that shields you."

"But that's perfect," he insisted. "Trigon told me that he can't stay in this world for very long at a time. Can't you just keep him out long enough that he gets sucked back into that library?"

Arella shook her head. "My powers are as nothing to his. He is relentless, smashing against my defenses like waves upon the shore. I can only delay him, I cannot stop him."

It was all Beast Boy could do to keep his voice from trembling. "So I have to stand by and let him take me over?"

"I am sorry, but he is fixated upon you, and will stop at nothing to form this bond."

"But why," he demanded. "Why am I so damned important to him?"

"This is not Trigon's first attempt at entering this world, nor are you the first to be bonded to him in such a way. But where he and his servants failed in the past, this time he will succeed."

"It's because I'm Raven's friend," Beast Boy said softly. "Trigon told me that he'd previously created the means to release himself, and you mentioned that this illusion showed what would happen if Trigon ever took control of her. It's through me, right? That's what he wants to use me for."

"You are perceptive," Arella said as she stepped towards him. "Yes, it was prophesied that Trigon would be released by Raven's hand. He seeks to use you to observe her, to discern her weakness. An unknown individual would only cause suspicion, but not one of her closest friends."

"But what can I do to stop him? Should I stay away from Raven?"

Arella's expression became grave. "Certainly not. As I have said, Trigon commands many servants in this world. For you to leave her side would be to leave her to their mercy."

She knelt down before him, her eyes level with his own. "You must listen, and listen well, for what I tell you now is unknown even to Trigon. The prophecy states that Raven will become his portal, this is true. However, it was foretold that she would not be alone. It speaks of a companion, one whom the portal would trust above all others. It was this being's fate to assist her, to give her the conviction to act when all her strength and will had vanished. That person is you."

Beast Boy's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, wait! You mean I'm wrapped up in this thing too? But I don't even know about the prophecy, or Trigon, or anything? I don't know what I'm supposed to do!"

Arella pulled him into a gentle embrace, resting his head against her shoulder. "I know, and I am sorry. It is never easy to be a child of fate. In truth, even I know not what you must do. You can only be vigilant, watching for Raven and Trigon to act and trusting that you will know what to do when the time comes."

He wanted to ask her more questions, but the warmth was bearing down on him again, stronger and more enshrouding than before. He tried to pull back, but her arms locked around him, and he was starting to forget what he'd even wanted to say.

His eyelids were getting heavy, and as the world blurred and lost focus, he let himself drift away.

* * *

The bedroom door had barely enough time to open before Cyborg rushed inside. Dropping down beside Beast Boy, he quickly began assessing his condition.

"Alright, airway's unobstructed, breathing seems regular, circulation normal." Satisfied that his friend was stable, he made a quick scan for any injuries that would preclude him from moving the body. He paused in his work as Robin's voice rang out from his communicator.

"Cyborg, the med-lab's all ready to go. Do you know if we can move him?"

"Sure can Rob," Cyborg replied as he lifted Beast Boy off the bed. "I'm bringing him down now; I want you to call up BB's medical file and prepare for an EEG scan as soon as we're there."

Quickening his pace, he gave the boy in his arms a troubled look. According to Robin, Beast Boy had been thrashing around like crazy only minutes ago. Now, he seemed all but catatonic. This didn't look good.

Coming into the med-lab, he quickly laid Beast Boy down on the examination table before motioning Robin over.

"Alright, generally one of these EEG readings takes about half an hour, so in the meantime we're going to see what we can find out about those spasms you mentioned." He turned to the screens in front of them, cycling through data so quickly that Robin was finally forced to turn away or risk motion sickness.

Choosing instead to keep an eye on Beast Boy, he settled down on a nearby chair and waited for Cyborg to call on him. Minute by minute, his eyelids began to droop, and maybe it was just his imagination as he dozed off, but he could have sworn he saw red lights around Beast Boy's head.

"Rob, yo Rob! Wake up man!"

The Boy Wonder bolted upright at the noise, looking directly into Cyborg's amused face.

"Heh, overworked and under-rested, huh? You'd better watch out or it's gonna be you on that table next."

Robin was on his feet in an instant. "You figured it out then?"

"One step at a time, chief," Cyborg advised as he led Robin to the computer terminals. "Now, based on BB's medical history, the day's events and your account of his symptoms, I think we can rule out epileptic and most psychogenic seizures. Now it's just a guess, but from what you've mentioned it sounds like some form of parasomnia, most likely night terrors. It fits in with everything that's happened today, and would explain why you were unable to wake him up on your own."

"So if that's the problem, how do we fix it?"

Cyborg smiled. "Luckily, pavor nocturnus isn't extremely difficult to treat, since it's caused primarily by external factors. Assuming everything looks clear on the EEG, we'll go from there."

The smile faded. "Right now, BB's got a fairly normal sleep-wave cycle going on; it's deep, and I mean really deep. This fits in well with the parasomnia theory. If you look at the delta waves, you can see that the green bean's about as out of it as you can possibly get. Since most of those disorders occur in the deepest periods of sleep, it makes it almost certain that we're dealing with something of that nature."

Robin frowned and looked closer at the graph. "But it hardly took me any time at all to get from his room down to yours, and in that time he went from thrashing around like a madman to being completely at rest. Is that still normal in this case?"

Cyborg shrugged. "It fits with the theory. Generally it's caused by an abrupt awakening that eventually settles back into normal sleep. There's not usually an in-between period where they'd actually wake up. They go from one, straight to the other."

"So more than likely, he's going to be alright?"

"Completely fine," Cyborg said with a grin. "I'm glad you were there to notice and let me know, but it's probably not a cause for alarm. I'll check in on the little guy just to be safe, but with any luck we'll get this thing straightened out no problem."

Robin managed a weak smile as Cyborg led him from the room. "Thanks, doc."

* * *

Trigon scowled as the two finally departed. These constant interruptions were becoming problematic. Twice now he had been forced to abandon his manipulations, and the lost time was bringing him closer to being pulled back into his prison.

It seemed, however, that his efforts were successful. The boy's defenses had finally fallen, and his consciousness was all but nonexistent. There would be nothing to halt their joining this time.

Once again, Trigon pushed through the portal and into the mortal world. Though his body was beginning to dissipate, he needed only to make physical contact to begin the process. A tendril of smoke snaked across the boy's forehead, and this time there was no resistance. Trigon's essence flooded the boy's mind, and their auras began to merge.

"_The first task is complete, master."_ a voice cut through his thoughts, forced obedience mixed with a thinly veiled scorn. Trigon laughed to himself as Slade continued to speak.

"_The message has been sent; the inscriptions are in place. She knows what she must do."_

"**You have done well, my servant. But your tasks are not yet finished,"** Trigon chided as he continued linking their minds. **"You know of your second task, do you not?"**

Only silence greeted him, and anger filled him at the thought of dissent. **"SLAVE! ANSWER ME!"** There was no response, and Trigon furiously turned his gaze from the boy. What he felt shook him to his very core.

The bridge to Slade's mind was unraveling, the strand of magic between them frayed and breaking. Trigon quickly turned his attention to the countless other links which he held with his allies throughout the universe. His shock increased as he saw that many of the bonds had already snapped, their strength rapidly waning. Only one strand was unaffected, and it seemed to grow while the others died: his link with this boy.

Trigon tore himself away from the boy's mind, his thoughts racing and disorganized at the impossibility that had just occurred. He had bridged his consciousness with hundreds, thousands of mortals in the course of his conquests. He had infused and severed them with ease. But this boy… was different. His other connections had simply dissolved, as though the link to the child's mind was sealing around them, becoming permanent and unbreakable. This had never before happened; this was not supposed to happen.

"_Master,"_ Slade's voice was dim and weak, but he had pulled away before it could be cut. He ignored his minion's calls, instead focusing on the dilemma that lay before him. Tentatively, he reached forwards, his focus intently on the other surviving threads. As before, they began to wither at the moment his aura made contact. Whatever this boy was, merging with him would be a difficult task, and not one easily reversed.

Trigon glared down at the boy as an unfamiliar feeling began to churn in his mind. Certainly not fright, for of course Trigon the Terrible had nothing in this universe to fear. It was uncertainty; the possibility that this boy was removed from his plans, somehow outside his control.

No. Even if this was the boy from the prophecy, it was not fate that brought him to this point. Trigon had set these events in motion. Trigon ordered Slade to send him crashing into the library. TRIGON followed him to this tower and manipulated his very thoughts. TRIGON WAS THE ONE IN CONTROL!

His eyes filled with anger as he looked over the sleeping child. This made no sense. He should not have been forced to expend such energy invading his mind. He should not be forced to establish this bond at the cost of the others. This boy represented the unknown, the idea that he was not the one controlling the events and fate of this world. This uncertainty was new and unfamiliar, and he hated it. He hated the idea of not knowing, of the idea that there were those outside his reach and his influence, the idea that he could be disobeyed, confronted, defeated.

His power flared as motes of energy surrounded the boy. He would kill him. Yes, he would show this boy and this world that there was nothing beyond his control. All things proceeded at his whim, and any who believed otherwise were sorely mistaken.

Yes.

It was a simple matter, to reassert his dominance. The motes flashed into glowing needles, each pointed straight at the heart. A mental twist would crush the boy into a mass of blood and pulp. The unknown would be gone, and so too would this terrible doubt and unease that could never be fear, for why should one such as Trigon be afraid of a mere mortal?

"_Master?"_ Slade's voice broke through the wall of anger, and Trigon paused. He looked down, realized what he had been about to do, and he quickly dispelled his magic. What had he been thinking? He had almost killed the boy, almost destroyed his greatest chance for success!

His anger fading, he reconsidered the child, and found there was no cause for alarm. There was nothing outside his reach, least of all this newest puppet. There were unexpected factors, true, but they would simply fall into his plans in a way that he could not yet see.

He had procrastinated too long, and his time was growing short.

"**Slave, hear me. You are to proceed as you have been ordered. You know your tasks, and you know where and when they are to be carried out. We will not speak for some time, but you will fulfill your purpose regardless."**

He ignored Slade's questions and turned back to his link with Beast Boy, all his uncertainties gone. He dove fully into the child's mind, feeling the last lingering connections snap and break. Soon there was only the bridge between them.

Trigon smiled. **"You are mine."**

The thick, grey smoke that carried the essence of Trigon fell over Beast Boy like a shroud. The smog settled onto his skin before entering through his pores. As the last traces of the smoke vanished, his body gave one last shudder before falling still.

The darkness of the med-lab was momentarily lit as a red, bloody glow came from Beast Boy's forehead. As quickly as it appeared, the Mark of Scath vanished.

* * *

This chapter was pretty difficult for me. Unlike the previous ones, this is where the first major foreshadowing takes place, as well as setting the stage for the next main area of the story. As such, I wanted to add a few more light-hearted moments to what would otherwise be an overly somber chapter, hence the Robin and Cyborg sections. Hopefully nobody finds these too jarring or out of place.

Read, review, eat drink and be merry, have a happy holidays and I'll you all next year!

Cro


	10. The Hunt is On

Alright, next chapter is up after an inexcusably long break. Turning away from the Titans and their newest house-guest, it's time to meet a few new faces in the struggle against Trigon. They're not from the Titans' world, but they're also not OC's. To find out who they are, you'll have to read further...

Chapter 10- The Hunt is On

_Go, horse these traitors on your fiery backs,_

_And mount aloft with them as high as heaven:_

_Thence pitch them headlong to the lowest hell._

_Yet, stay: the world shall see their misery,_

_And hell shall after plague their treachery._

_Christopher Marlowe- Doctor Faustus_

* * *

In the deepest cellar of the earth, where the heat and pressure are too severe for any living creature to endure, was an object. Older than civilization, older than humanity, older even than the very world in which it rested.

In the simplest of terms, it was a gate. Impossibly large, hewn from unbreakable stone, it lay dark and silent beneath the earth. Its face was covered in eldritch carvings and horrific images, and a dire warning was displayed across the arch. It was many things: a passageway between worlds, a welcoming entrance and an inescapable barrier. To billions, it was the ultimate destroyer of hope. Put bluntly, the gate to Hell was easily one of the top five places in the universe to avoid at all costs.

It was through this gate that Trigon set into motion his plans for conquest, and it was here that he made his first mistake. For in his haste to escape to the living world, he was unaware that his departure was observed.

This observer was the gatekeeper of the underworld, as terrible and frightening to demons as demons are to mortal men. It was human-shaped, but twisted and distorted. Its form was shrouded in darkness, blacker than night, as though it was a void that absorbed and consumed all light around it. It seemed to move and shudder like ripples on water, and occasionally the shadows would recede, and horrible features would be revealed for but an instant. Its power was unmatched, and it was known as Death.

As Trigon's spirit passed through the swells of Chaos and into the physical realm, a second being approached the gates, though this one came as living flesh instead of formless ghost. Cloaked and hooded, it drew closer, unafraid of the specter it would have to face. Turning his eyes from the world of men, Death placed himself in the figure's path.

"This gate admits only the dead, they who are rightfully damned. You do not await punishment, nor will the tail of Minos decree your sentence." He paused, and the darkness pulled back to reveal a slavering mouth lined with fangs. "Away with you, unless it is everlasting pain that you seek."

The words seemed to echo through the still air, and the black void around Death swelled and grew with his wrath. A hand went to a sheath with practiced ease, and he withdrew a dark and wicked spear from the blackness around him. It was carved in the likeness of a spinal column, and the needle-sharp tip glistened with poison. Hefting the dart, he leveled its point at the intruder, who halted his progress just outside the weapon's range.

The cloak was thrown aside, revealing the man beneath. A stark contrast to the ominous and faceless Death, he was youthful and handsome, with an air of great confidence, despite the oppressive surroundings. He was clad in brightly gleaming armor, and a massive war-hammer was slung across his back. Raising his hands in a gesture of supplication, he took a cautious step forwards.

"Peace, gatekeeper," he said, his eyes shifting from the guard to his weapon. "I have not come to lift arms against you. I seek your wisdom, should you hearken for but a moment."

There was a shift in the blackness, and a battered, grinning skull leered back at him. The spear was lifted, though Death still kept it in a ready grip.

"You need not appeal to my vanity, Mulciber. Ask of me what you will, and I will impart what knowledge I possess."

Mulciber nodded. "A prisoner of the inferno has escaped, fleeing to the human world. I wish to know whither it has gone."

A dry, rasping laugh burst from the shadowy form. "Know this: there are but three who have bodily passed these gates, and it was I who granted them safe passage. First was the adversary himself, in the dawning of time. Next came the son of the Almighty, harrowing this place in his ascent. Last was a living man, a Florentine, who entered and departed by different means. No others have escaped my vigil."

"You lie! I watched your gaze turn to follow its progress as I approached! It was a demon, and it has already reached the mortal sphere," Mulciber snarled, reaching forward as if to strike. His hand passed into the roiling darkness, and he drew back with a cry, nursing his skin as though it had been burned.

"Do not think to cross me again; I have stood against those far more powerful than you." Before Mulciber could reply, he continued. "The spirit whom I watched is but a harmless essence, futilely seeking escape. It will be forced back, as it has returned countless times in the past, and as all others have before it."

"Not this one."

A tense silence followed, and when Death finally spoke, it was in a dark and deadly whisper.

"What?"

His confidence eroding, Mulciber answered. "The demon is Trigon, who has tried and failed many times to return to the living world. Now, he plans to inhabit a human vessel and use his half-human daughter as a portal. This will enable him to slip past your guard, to remove his physical form from Hell. By standing idly by, you have allowed him to escape."

"**WHAT!"** Death bellowed in fury, and Hell itself seemed to tremble. The darkness around him was blasted away, revealing his true shape. Mulciber cried out in terror, slamming shut his eyes and throwing his arms in front of his face to try and ward away the ghastly image. Fingers dug into his neck, and his entire body was gripped with a biting cold that burned worse than fire.

"…please…" he whimpered, fighting away the nausea as the chill continued to seep into him. "… we… still stop him… if… tell us where…"

Death paused, his grip slackening by a degree. "You seek to work against Trigon," he asked, and two sickly yellow eyes opened in the shadows of his face. "You wish to foil his plot?"

"Yes, I swear it! On my honor, we will not allow Trigon to escape to Earth!"

Death's head tilted to the side, as close to a look of contemplation as a faceless being could achieve. Dropping Mulciber to the ground, he allowed him a few minutes to gasp for breath and regain feeling in his frozen limbs.

"Very well," he said at last. "I will agree to your request, and provide you with a portion of my sight, that you might locate Trigon's essence. However, I will bestow this gift upon only one of your group, and it shall not be you."

As Mulciber shakily rose to his feet, Death turned and gave a quick wave of his hand. Behind them, the massive gates swung inward, closing with a deafening slam.

"Come, I will take you to my allies," Mulciber offered, making sure to stay several paces ahead of his companion. "The sooner we locate Trigon, the sooner we can drag him back where he belongs."

Death nodded. "Indeed. But do not lose sight of your task. You are to use this gift to defeat Trigon, to return him to his place of punishment. If you renege on your promise, if you break my trust, I will know. And you will learn of the consequences that come from cheating Death."

* * *

Death withdrew his hands and stepped back, allowing the body to slump lifelessly to the ground. With a last look at the limp figure, he turned to the remainder of the group.

"It is done. He is now capable of looking across the gulf between worlds; to track the coward to the mortal he intends to possess, and to infiltrate the demon's own mind. I can do no more. The rest is in your hands."

Turning away, he began the long trek back to the gate, and those behind him let out a collective breath of relief.

"I hate that guy."

Mulciber chuckled and rubbed his throat. "Be thankful he did not grab you by the throat and sear you with frost. You've nothing to complain about."

"Yes, yes, you're quite the martyr. Now that he's served his purpose, shall we begin?"

"I suppose," Mulciber cast an annoyed look at the prone figure at their feet. "Wake him, would you?"

"Calcabrina… WAKE UP," one yelled, giving the body a brutal kick in the ribs. The previously unconscious individual gave a pained screech and sat upright, before his gaze fell onto his awakener.

"Morning Ciriatto! What'd I miss," he asked cheerfully, failing to notice the looks of anger and annoyance from his nine compatriots.

"Man, it was crazy," he continued obliviously. "I had this weird dream about a black shadowy thing that came up and gave me some eyeball powers, and you were there, and you were there, and you were…"

"Enough!" Ciriatto snarled. "It was not a dream, you imbecile. You were given Death's sight so that we might complete our mission!"

"Mission," he asked in a bewildered tone. "What mission?"

Mulciber decided to intervene before the others accidentally killed their most essential member. "Rubicante," he ordered. "Help this fool remember his task. He'll need to begin watching for Trigon immediately if we're to act."

The two departed, although to be accurate it was Rubicante who departed, dragging Calcabrina behind him. Mulciber turned his attention back to the rest of the group.

"You will all have vital roles to play in this plan. Once Calcabrina has made contact with Trigon's mind, he will alter Trigon's link with the host, allowing you to enter as well. From there, he and Rubicante will sustain the link while Libicocco, Cagnazzo and Graffiacane sever the links to the other servants. Scarmiglione," he motioned to his second-in-command, "will determine which servant is in the closest proximity to Trigon's host. After severing the connection, he will then pose as Trigon and provide the servant with false instructions and commands."

As the group nodded their assent, he turned his attention to the remaining three. "Once we have determined the host's location, you will direct our contacts to the area to begin planting the artifacts. It must be done quickly, so that the servant and Trigon will not suspect our trap."

"Sir," Alichino inquired. "If the infiltration of Trigon's mind is the forefront of our plan, why is that fool Calcabrina entrusted with its completion?"

Mulciber sighed. "Death is paranoid and untrusting. He no doubt bestowed Calcabrina with his power because the simpleton lacks the cunning to misuse it."

The group broke apart, milling around Calcabrina as he searched for Trigon. It was nearly time for Mulciber to depart. The sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention, and he was pleased to see the last two members of his group approaching, their weapons dripping with blood.

"It is done then," he asked, motioning towards their stained hands.

Barbariccia nodded. "The traitor is dealt with; he will provide no more interference."

"Then the last obstacle to our success is gone. We are ready to begin." Casting his gaze to the side, he noted with satisfaction that Calcabrina's body had again fallen limp, a sign that his astral self was in pursuit of Trigon's own.

"Remember, my friends. This is our greatest hour, our moment of triumph! Trigon has set himself against humanity with trickery and deceit! You are bound by duty to counter this fraud! We will not allow Trigon to succeed!" He raised his fist into the air, and the group responded with an echoing cheer.

* * *

"Bored, bored, bored," Calcabrina muttered, sweeping his gaze over the planet's surface. "I can see the whole planet, I can see across the universe even, and I'm stuck watching the stupid world spin around until Trigon decides to make a move."

His irritated mumblings continued for several minutes, as Mulciber finished briefing the rest of the group, as Rubicante continued watching him with the usual mixture of scorn and boredom, until he was all but praying for something to happen. Luckily, he didn't have long to wait.

It was a tiny flash of light, a sudden feeling of evil and hatred, and the tantalizing aroma of sulfur and rotting flesh.

"Bingo," he said with a grin.

There was a tiny sense of disorientation as Trigon's essence shone as a bright pinpoint of light. His gaze followed, drawing closer to the planet until the demon's aura came into view, conversing with a young, green human.

In truth, he would have preferred to act long before this, but the situation was delicate, and Trigon could not be approached until his essence was forced to take physical shape.

Time to go to work.

He felt his spirit pulling away from his body, being drawn through rock and air and space until he was approaching the planet, then the coast of a continent, an island, a tower, until at last he was watching as Trigon effervesced into smoke. The demon's own mind was still guarded, and so he entered the boy's without hesitation.

It was a strange experience, entering the mind of another. For a moment he was passing over a lush jungle, and then sprawling grassland. From what he knew of the planet, it would seem that this was the boy's mindscape, no doubt taking the form of the location to which it was most attached.

It was certainly a change of scenery for him, and he indulged himself with admiring the sights for a short time. Snow-capped mountains, a glistening ocean, massive forests… a crater filled with tar?

He paused in midair, looking down at the unseemly blot in the landscape. No, not tar, he decided, but darkness, as though all the light was being drawn in. A minute passed, and the crater widened by a fraction, devouring the landscape an inch at a time.

He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. "Well, that's not TOO terribly conspicuous. Why not add a giant sign, or ominous bolts of lightning? Too gaudy?"

As if on cue, the crater widened further, and red sparks of energy flashed through the blackness, causing him to chuckle weakly.

"Spoke too soon, I see."

Shaking his head, he leapt into the pool, wondering just what type of horrific scene awaited him. This was the mind of a demon lord, after all. He could only imagine what type of hellish landscape he'd encounter.

In the end, he found himself staring blankly into empty darkness, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"IS THIS A JOKE," he roared into the void. "No pits of lava, no mountains of corpses, not even a giant statue of yourself?"

He wasn't expecting a reply; in truth he would have been more unsettled if he'd received one. Resigning himself to an extremely dull visit, he turned on his heel and examined the gateway between Trigon's mind and the boy's.

A massive, ragged hole in the blackness, it looked less like a portal and more like Trigon had simply punched his way into the other mind.

"You sure aren't very creative, are you?" He stepped up to the portal, taking a final glance at the verdant world beyond.

"Okay," he muttered, placing a finger to his temple. "Before we get this thing oriented correctly, better find his escape route." A burst of concentration, a sharp mental push, and the portal shimmered and pulsed. The boy's mindscape vanished, replaced by a jagged wasteland of rocks and lava.

"There, see? That's what you ought to do with this place! How can you let it look all empty like this when you've got a guest visiting?"

His rant continued as he tampered with the portal, tearing it away from the current exit point and rapidly cycling between locations.

"Let's see, don't want to go there. That's a definite no. No, nope, don't think so. Hmm, that's tempting. Would be pretty funny to just drop you into Acheron. Hey! Cerberus sure has gotten fat!"

The image in the portal froze, the view overlooking a rocky cliff side above a river of pitch.

"And we've arrived! Make sure your tray tables and seat backs are upright and locked! Total fare including a tip for the handsome driver will come to-"

"Calcabrina."

He let out a surprised yelp and turned back to the portal, waving at the glowering face peering in at him.

"Hey bro! Did you miss me?"

His brother responded with an extremely dry look. "No, but after hearing your voice, I find myself yearning for the silence that fell in your absence."

"You know, you really need to learn how to put some emotion into your words. I can't tell if you're being sarcastic, or actually insulting me! Couldn't you at least raise your voice now and then?"

Rubicante paused, his gaze flicking to the side as he considered something just out of view. "Your physical body is easily within reach," he commented. "Continue with your prattling and I will gladly shove you off the edge."

Calcabrina laughed nervously, understanding that it would be in his best interests to shut up and get to work. "Point taken, is everyone else ready to take this guy down?"

The others crowded around the portal. "We have been waiting for you to begin."

"Right, right." Giving them a wary glance, he placed his hands against the portal's edge. Clenching his jaw, he focused on the tear beneath his palms, willing it to bend and change to his will. Reconstructing a mindscape was a difficult task, and Rubicante's unblinking stare was doing little to aid in his concentration.

"Uh, could you maybe stop staring at me? It's creeping me out."

"I am observing your facial expressions. They are becoming quite distorted." A thoughtful look settled over his face. "I believe I am finding them humorous."

Resisting the urge to reach through and punch his brother in the face, Calcabrina continued warping the portal. It slowly widened, changing from a rounded tear into a large, even square. With the shape in place, he shoved his palms into the side, holding the portal steady. On the opposite side, Rubicante did the same.

"Door's open boys," he called. With Scarmiglione in the lead, the others leapt through.

"You three," he ordered. "Begin destroying the links. We can't allow Trigon to maintain contact with any being aside from this boy. If he can call for help, or warn his followers of our plans, everything will be ruined. I will scout ahead, and find the ideal servant for us to manipulate. Make haste; we need to destroy the connections and Trigon's escape portal by the time he has possessed the host!"

As Scarmiglione raced away, Cagnazzo took the lead. He certainly wouldn't have much difficulty searching. After all, Trigon's head was empty enough that the mental bridges would be easy to spot.

As if answering his very thoughts, a brightly shining light caught his attention, and he approached to see that it was a glowing strand of energy. There was no beginning or end, it simply stretched out forever. To the sides, above and below, more lines stretched out at various angles: the links between Trigon and his servants.

Cagnazzo laughed and turned to his friends. "Now, remember to be as careful as possible. We don't want to leave anything intact!

* * *

***Snap***

There was the briefest of shudders, and a phantom pain cut through his skull. Cagnazzo found himself grinning in satisfaction. That particular connection had been one of the oldest; gaining in strength as it endured through millennia. Severing it had been particularly satisfying.

Below him, Scarmiglione dove inwards, the broken strands of magic falling alongside him before they vanished into the darkness. The air was still, the darkness absolute, and he idly wondered just how long he'd been sifting through this void.

'Absolutely absurd,' he muttered to himself. 'To think that the fool's mind is so blank and empty, it's unfathomable!'

A wry smile flitted across his features. "What was that joke, again? Ah yes, all that's missing is a sign that reads 'Space for Rent."

Indulging in a short chuckle, his thoughts again soured as he continued to fall. Skulking about in Trigon's cavernous head was far from appealing, and they were quickly running out of time. He had to choose a link, and fast.

A group of lights below him signaled the presence of another series of links. He smashed into the web, tearing and ripping out every strand he could reach. The psionic backlash was crippling, the demon's servants falling into comas or suffering brain-death, others instantly dying of cerebral edemas as Trigon's rebounding energy pummeled their bodies.

It was in the midst of this destruction that he found it. As his hand tightened around a strand, he realized that not only was this servant of the same race as Trigon's host, but he dwelt in close proximity. Intrigued, Scarmiglione pressed the strand against his forehead, absorbing the memories, actions, conversations that this servant had gained since linking his mind with Trigon's.

"Slade," he murmured, coming across the servant's name. Yes, he would do perfectly. Once the information had been gleaned, his grip once again tightened on the thread, preparing to break it as gently as possible, and minimize the damage that Slade would endure. It would benefit them little if their unknowing traitor was killed preemptively.

A light tremor sped through the cord, and the strand glowed brighter as he moved to rip it away. Words and thoughts raced through his head, and he realized in horror that the two were attempting to converse.

"Hey guys!" Calcabrina's voice rang out from above. "Whatever it is you're doing, knock it off! Trigon's getting suspicious out there!"

Scarmiglione froze, not even daring to remove his hands from the thread. He hoped that Trigon was too occupied to take notice of the damage they had wrought, hoped that Slade could still communicate effectively enough to set the demon's mind at ease.

"Damn, damn, damn! He's gonna kill him! The kid he was gonna possess, he's getting ready to blow him apart!"

On the verge of panic, Scarmiglione grasped the strand as tightly as possible, holding the tattered ends together. Without any better idea, he bit deep into the strand, cutting off Trigon's essence and bridging his own with Slade.

Dropping the severed end, he placed the remaining cord against his temple and focused his thoughts towards Trigon.

"_Master," _He inquired in his best approximation of Slade's voice. To his relief, the simple word seemed to calm the demon, and Calcabrina reported that the boy was no longer in danger. Dropping the end, he rejoined his comrades at the gate.

"Have all the remaining links been cut?"

Libicocco nodded. "We made certain that all were destroyed. This gate is now his only escape, and his last means of communication.

Scarmiglione nodded. "Very well, let us cross back over and collapse it."

"**Slave, hear me. You are to proceed as you have been ordered. You know your tasks, and you know where and when they are to be carried out. We will not speak for some time, but you will fulfill your purpose regardless."**

He wanted to laugh as Trigon's voice was swallowed up by the darkness. If only the demon knew that he had played right into their hands. Stepping back through the portal, he watched as Calcabrina and Rubicante each placed their hands on an opposing side. As they began to concentrate, the portal shuddered, its edges bulging and fraying. With one last groan of effort, the two brothers crushed the portal at its center, and the gateway vanished into thin air.

"Can it be re-opened?"

"By us? Easily. By him…" Rubicante smiled. "Never."

Trigon was now trapped in a mortal body, separated from his followers, and completely vulnerable. All they had to do now was wait.

* * *

This chapter was probably one of the most difficult of any I've written, simply because it was a struggle to decide how much should be explained. It's difficult to try and maintain a sense of suspense and uncertainty, where the reader isn't entirely sure of a character's motivations or background. On the one hand, if you give too much, you can end up ruining the surprise and inadvertently reveal the entire thing to the audience. Conversely, if you give away too little, you wind up with a completely obscure and confusing cluster**** of a situation, where the reader is left hopelessly confused, and your delusions of grandeur wind up stabbing you in the back.

Hopefully I was able to find a middle ground. I had little choice but to introduce Mulciber and his gang at this point, as their sabotage against Trigon had already been mentioned in the previous chapter, but I found it difficult to decide how much of them should be revealed, and how much left to speculation/imagination for the time being. Hopefully everyone has been able to make sense of this particular tangent, and to anyone who is confused, I can only apologize and promise that all will be revealed in time.

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think.

Cro


End file.
